Weekend Fiancee
by anonolitz
Summary: Fitzgerald Grant is the COO of an architectural firm and Olivia Ballard is his executive assistant. When Fitz's plans for an important weekend retreat go awry he asks for Olivia's help to save an important business deal. When Olivia agrees to join him, sparks fly between the couple. Will their pretend engagement lead to something real?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: To all the followers of Only You, I know I'm supposed to be working on Chapter 8. The good news is that it's mostly written and will be posted before Christmas. Chapter 8 will be the last chapter at Camp David and then I'll return the President and his Fixer to the real world. I love Only You, but it is very heavy and emotional to write and I was kicking this lighter, more fun version of Fitz and Olivia around in my head. I thought I would put it to paper and see what you thought.**

"Olivia, will you come in here?" Fitz bellowed from his office.

Olivia rolled her eyes, she hated when he shouted for her rather than use the intercom like a civilized executive. She pressed the button linking her to his office, responding, "I'll be right in." She groaned as she rose from her seat. She knew when Fitz entered the office at 10am barking orders, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses, that today was going to be a long day. Hopeful that she could improve his mood, she swung by the kitchen, grabbing two cups of coffee, before heading to her boss's office.

"What's up, boss?" she queried, looking expectantly at the beautiful man exquisitely dressed in a custom-made chalk stripe Brooks Brother suit perched on the edge of the desk, waiting for her. Fitz, born Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, III, was the COO of Grant Enterprises, one of the top architectural firms in Miami.

Grant Enterprises was founded in the 1940s by Fitz's grandfather, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, Sr., and he ruled the company with an iron fist until he retired in the 1980s, leaving the company in his son's very capable hands. Now, nearly 40 years later, Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, II, or Big Gerry as he preferred to be called, was ready to retire and leave the company in someone else's very capable hands. Fitz had emerged as one of the leading candidates, but his well-publicized social life as one of Miami's most eligible bachelors made him a risky choice for the Board.

That was, until nine months ago when he met Melody Carmichael and reformed his bad boy ways. Theirs's was a whirlwind romance and, after quietly dating for only six months, Fitz proposed. Olivia wasn't sure how or why, but Fitz was able to keep the news of his relationship and subsequent engagement quiet and only recently had the rumors begin to swirl that there was a new woman in Fitz's life. Everyone was eager to meet this woman but, thus far, he had only introduced Mellie to his parents, a handful of close family and friends, and Olivia.

Fitz couldn't hide the smile spreading across his face as Olivia Ballard, his Girl Friday, sashayed into his office. She was impeccably dressed in a form fitting white A-line dress with plunging neckline that pushed the boundaries of appropriate work attire. Olivia handed him his coffee and settled into one of the visitor's chairs facing his desk, waiting for his response.

"Mellie and I broke up," he blurted out with no preamble.

"What? How? I thought Mellie was in New York on a girl's shopping trip."

"She was, but she flew home early to surprise me. Only the surprise was on her when she found Tiffany, or maybe it was Amber, a wine angel at Cibo in our bed."

"Did she still have on her wings?" Olivia asked, barely containing her laughter.

Fitz released a full belly laugh. "You know me well, but no, she wasn't wearing wings. Mellie strutted in the bedroom, wearing only her favorite pair of Jimmy Choos and started screaming her head off when she saw Tiffany…"

"Or maybe Amber," Olivia cheekily interrupted.

"True," Fitz responded through his laughter. He was in a shitty mood when he entered the office less than an hour ago but somehow, in less than five minutes, sitting here with Olivia, he was laughing and felt like things would be okay. "As I was saying, there Mellie was, in all her beautiful glory, screaming and cursing at me for being a lying, cheating asshole. It took all of my Grant charm to get her calmed down but, after a few minutes, I was able to get her to stop screaming and willing to hear my side of things."

"Your side of things? What could you possibly say to get yourself out of this mess? There were two naked women in your bedroom and only one of them was your fiancée."

"Would you quit interrupting my story? Now, where was I? Ah, yes, Mellie was calm and willing to listen to me, that is, until Tiffany, or Amber, wakes up from her drunken stupor and vomits all over Mellie's favorite shoes."

With that image in mind, Olivia folded over in her chair, laughing uncontrollably. "So, she was willing to forgive the naked woman in your bed, but vomit on her favorite shoes was unforgivable?"

"Exactly," Fitz exclaimed. "Women, I'll never understand them."

"You should try talking to us with our clothes on. We are much easier to understand when you aren't distracted by our boobs."

"Is that the secret to our success? You know," he paused for dramatic effect, "our relationship is my longest relationship with any woman. I've never even thought about cheating on you," he teased.

"That's right, buster. You haven't seen me naked and you never will," she joked, waving her decorated ring finger in his direction. "You thought Mellie leaving was bad, you don't want to know what I'll do to you if I catch you eyeballing another assistant."

"Relax, Liv, I only have eyes for you. But, have you seen Lisa from the sixth floor? She makes my dick twitch."

"A, how many times do I have to warn you not to sleep with the staff and, B, you can't talk about your dick in front of your female staff. You are an HR lawsuit waiting to happen. I thought you wanted the Board to appoint you CEO when your father retires at the end of the year."

"A, have you seen the ass on that girl? I bet even you want to fuck her. B, you're not female staff, you're my Liv, you're not going to sue me. Finally, you're right, I do want to be CEO, almost as badly as you want to be the CEO's executive assistant, the most powerful assistant at Grant Enterprises."

"Your, Liv? You chauvinistic asshole, you're lucky I tolerate you. And, for your information, I haven't wanted to fuck a girl since college."

Fitz groaned loudly. "Now you're making my dick twitch."

"Stop talking about your dick. I'm married, it's inappropriate," she explained, once again waving her right hand around.

"How can I forget? You're shoving that three carat pear shaped diamond in my face every chance you get. Now, stop distracting me, I have a story to finish. After the vomit incident, Mellie kicked off her heels, hurled her engagement ring and keys at my head, good thing she has terrible aim, screaming that our engagement was over and wishing me luck impressing the Merkles without her. She marched out of my apartment leaving a trail of vomit footprints in her wake."

Olivia was laughing hysterically at Fitz's story until he mentioned the Merkles. "Oh shit, Fitz, I forgot this weekend is the Merkles' retreat. You need to close this deal with Merkle Industries before the Board's vote to appoint a new CEO. There's no way they could deny you the position with old man Merkle's business. They are expecting you and your fiancée in the Hamptons on Thursday. What are you doing to do?"

"That's why I called you in here."

"How can I help? What can I do?"

"Join me this weekend at the Merkles."

"What?" she questioned. Olivia and Fitz's professional relationship was unconventional at best, but it had rules. She tolerated his vulgarity and entertained his stories, often told in graphic detail, because he was an excellent boss and she was his most trusted advisor. He valued her contributions, encouraged her development, and never discounted her role in his success. He was quick with a compliment, generous with praise, and made sure her salary and bonuses where the highest among the assistants.

Over the years, they had grown to be friends and occasionally they were a little flirty, but their relationship was completely platonic and both understood that they would never ever to cross the boundary into the physical. She was happily married and she demanded that Fitz respect her marriage and not view it as a personal challenge. Simply put, Olivia had no interest in being another one of his conquests. She loved her job, but Jake was the love of her life and she would quit in a heartbeat if she ever felt her priorities shifting.

"Come with me to the Hamptons." He looked deeply into her eyes, noting, not for the first time, how beautiful her chocolate brown orbs were, "Olivia Pope Ballard, will you be my fiancée for the weekend?"

Her breath hitched at the intensity of his gaze. "Is that why you called me in here?"

"No, I called you in here to ask to you contact some local talent agencies and help me find an actress that could pretend to be my fiancée for the weekend. But, as I sat here with you, I realized that it would never work. Thursday is three days away. There is no way I could teach an actress enough about me and Grant Enterprises in three days that she could successfully pull off pretending to be my fiancée for four days. But you, you're perfect. I wouldn't have to teach you anything, you already know everything about me and the company."

"Fitz, I can't, I'm married."

"I know you're married to James."

"Jake, my husband's name is Jake." Fitz knew that, but intentionally called him something else whenever he had to refer to him by name. Olivia was a beautiful, intelligent, charming, sexy woman and Fitz had no idea why she was married to that fuckboy, Jacob Ballard. Jake and Fitz met in graduate school. They were never friends, but they traveled in the same social circles and knew each other well. Although Fitz respected Olivia was off limits, he would never understand how Jake convinced her to marry him.

"I know you're married Olivia and I'm not asking you to violate your vows. I just want you to pretend to be my fiancée. Think of it as a business trip. We've traveled together before. This won't be much different. I'll pay you for your time if that will make it easier to say yes."

"I'm not a prostitute or call girl, Fitzgerald," Olivia responded coolly, stalking away from him. "I won't betray my husband for money."

Fitz quickly crossed the room to where Olivia was standing and quickly spun her around so that they were facing each other. "I'm not asking you to betray your husband. It's a business retreat, not an orgy. Stephen Merkle, President and CEO of Merkle Industries, is a huge family man. He hosts this retreat every year for his business partners and potential business partners and their wives. It's his way of making sure his business partners share his personal values. This weekend would involve some light PDA at most. I'll be on my best behavior, I promise. You're the second most important woman in my life, behind my mom. I would never do anything to jeopardize what we have."

"If Mr. Merkle wants to ensure his partners share his values, how did you get selected to represent Grant Enterprises? You're a manwhore."

"You wound me, beautiful. My father selected me as a test. He wasn't convinced that I had turned over a new leaf with my engagement to Mellie. Wasn't convinced that I had finally left my youthful indiscretions in the past."

"You're not that young and your last indiscretion was less than 12 hours ago."

"My father doesn't know that. As far as he is concerned I'm still engaged and traveling to New York for a long weekend with Mellie. Liv, with your help, I can use this weekend to close the Merkle deal and cement my future as CEO before my father learns that Mellie called off our engagement. I can still pull this off and take my rightful place as the head of this company, but I can't do it without you. The Merkles know that I'm engaged, but they haven't met Mellie and they don't know you. You are as invested in this weekend going well as I am. What better way to ensure that it's a success than to be there by my side?"

Olivia was reluctant to admit it, but she was intrigued by Fitz's proposition. She knew that together they made an impressive team and had no doubt that she and Fitz could convince the Merkles they were engaged. Hell, most of the other assistants and some of the executives already assumed they were sleeping together. Someone even started a rumor that Olivia was secretly divorced, but continued wearing her wedding ring to provide cover for her relationship with Fitz. She also knew that if she went along with Fitz's plan he would be generous with her compensation. Olivia wanted a family, but Jake argued they needed to be more stable first. This unexpected bonus would make a nice nest egg for their future little one.

"You mentioned payment. How big of a bonus are we talking about? I'm not one of the cheap whores you are used to dealing with," she teased before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I know exactly how much you are worth," he countered. "I was thinking two hundred and fifty thousand dollars would be reasonable compensation for the chore of having to pretend that you are in love with me."

Upon hearing the sum of money involved, Olivia choked on her coffee. Her annual salary was only ninety thousand dollars. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars? Why not a million?"

"Honestly, I thought about it, but I worried that with a million dollars you wouldn't need this job and would quit after the weekend. If I'm going to be successful as CEO, I need you with me. You're the best assistant I've ever had and I can't be the reason why you leave the company."

The truth was that Fitz knew Jake and Olivia were still recovering from recent financial difficulties and hoped that this generous sum would make his offer too good to refuse. After graduate school, Jake did a brief stint at Zyscovich Architects before starting his own company. He, with Olivia's help, ran a small, but successful firm, until the Great Recession of 2008. Jake put up a gallant effort, but Ballard and Associates didn't have the resources needed to survive the economic downturn and his company closed their doors in 2010. Olivia came to work for Grant Enterprises shortly after that and worked her way up to Fitz's office in two years. It took a couple of years, but Jake eventually found work with another firm. They didn't interact often, but when they did, Fitz sensed Jake was jealous of his success and his relationship with Olivia. Fitz was Olivia's new work husband and her real husband hated it, but was powerless to do anything about it.

"And what exactly do you expect in return for this bonus?" Olivia asked uncertainly.

"I need to be able to introduce you as Olivia Pope."

"Olivia Ballard," she corrected.

"Olivia Pope," he countered. "All of your social media profiles are linked to Olivia Ballard. We can't have someone try to friend or follow you and discover that you're happily married to someone other than me."

"Continue," she declared, waving him off.

"I will introduce you to everyone as Olivia Pope, my fiancée of three months. While everyone is looking, we will be a loving and devoted couple. I'll be the perfect gentleman, opening your doors and pulling out your chairs, but secure enough in my masculinity to hold your hand and defer to your wishes. You will be the perfect girlfriend, charming enough to capture the attention of my male colleagues, but innocent enough not to draw the ire of their wives. At times you will so overcome by for your adoration for me that you will spontaneously place a chaste kiss on my lips or cheek. Occasionally, to remind every man in the room that you're mine, my hand will travel a little lower on your back or higher on your thigh, slightly out of the friend zone. We will be the couple perfect that no one believes exist."

"That's because we don't exist as a couple," she teased. Fitz took that as a good sign. She hadn't immediately rejected his offer and now that she knew exactly how profitable this weekend could be, he believed she would agree. "And, when no one is looking?" she asked.

"We'll go back to being Fitz Grant and Olivia Ballard. The same people we are here in the office and on business trips. This is not a clever attempt to get in your pants. I respect you too much for that. You are a happily married woman and I will expect you to behave as such when no one is looking. It's just four days of playing house so we can both move into the CEO's suite. We can do this Liv."

"I'm going to need the rest of the day off to consider your request."

"Of course. Take as much time as you need, but I need an answer by the morning. It'll take us a couple of days to transform you into the future Mrs. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the third."

"I don't require transformation, asshole," she called over her shoulder as she exited his office.

"I love you too, soon to be Mrs. Grant," he shouted after her as she left. Fitz leaned back in his chair, watching the sway of Olivia's hips as she walked away. He chuckled softly to himself, this weekend may just turn out better than either one of them expected.

 **A/N: So, what do you think? Is it worth continuing or has the storyline been done too many times to bring something new to it? I'm thinking a short story with short fun chapters about our favorite couple, but I'm curious to read how you feel. Until next time, ciao.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks so much for all of your comments. It's so much more enjoyable to write when you know there's an audience out there waiting to receive your work. I also heard your displeasure at Jake being Olivia's husband. I dislike the character as much as you do, but just like he's Shonda's tool on Scandal, he's my tool in this story. Our favorite couple can't go from where I started them to where we all want them to end without a push and Jake will be that push. Trust me, Olitz is endgame and Jake will be a minor character after this chapter.**

Olivia heard the garage door open and Jake's footsteps as he entered the house. "Hey babe. I'm in the kitchen," she called to him.

"Yum…something smells delicious," Jake said, placing a brief kiss to her temple and giving her a side hug before releasing her to lift the pot lids to see what Olivia was cooking. "My favorite meal," he said, his face beaming briefly before slipping back into a mask of depression. "I take it you heard."

"I heard what?"

"We lost the bid for the Patterson Place project," Jake replied in a dejected tone.

"Oh, Jake," Olivia exclaimed, pulling her husband into a warm embrace. "I'm so sorry. I know how hard you and your team worked on that project. Your project design was brilliant. It's too bad the Patterson group couldn't see that."

Frustrated, Jake pulled away from her and slammed his fist on the quartz countertop, causing him to wince in pain. "I'm just so tired of putting in all this effort to lose out to one of the larger companies. This project means nothing to Grant Enterprises, but it would have been huge for my firm." Olivia looked away guiltily when Jake mentioned her place of employment. "Did you know that Grant Enterprises was also bidding on the project?"

"What? No! It never crossed my desk. I don't think Fitz had anything to do with the company's proposal."

"Of course not," Jake huffed. "It wasn't important enough for the company to warrant the COO's attention."

"Maybe Mr. Grant handled it," Olivia suggested, trying to derail Jake's pity train before it built a full head of steam. "Sometimes he handles these things directly rather than hand it off to Fitz."

Jake smiled weakly, "You're sweet to suggest it, but I don't think that's what happened. I think the Patterson group was seduced by the Grant name rather than the quality of their design."

Olivia was tempted to challenge Jake's assessment of the Grant Enterprises proposal, their reputation being well-earned in the community, but quickly decided against it. "You know," she started, pausing briefly to ensure she held his attention. "You could always apply for a position at Grant Enterprises. You're a talented architect and they would be lucky to have you. I could talk to Fitz…"

"I don't want to work for Grant Enterprises," he angrily interrupted, "and I definitely don't need any favors from Grant." A wave of hurt and embarrassment washed across Olivia's face. "I'm sorry," he offered. "It's been a long day and I'm a little on edge." Eager to change the subject, he asked, "If you didn't' know about the bid, what prompted you go through all this trouble for a Monday night dinner?"

"We can talk about it over dinner," Olivia deflected. "Right now, I think you need to get out of these stuffy clothes, take a long hot shower, and unwind a bit. By the time you're finished, dinner will be ready."

"You're better to me than I deserve." He pulled her in another embrace and kissed her sweetly.

Olivia smiled in response, suddenly feeling guilty that she had prepared this meal to soften him up before she told him about Fitz's request. "Let me pour you a drink before you head upstairs. It will help you relax." Olivia quickly poured the drink and shooed him out of the kitchen and up the stairs so she could think about how she was going to convince Jake that attending the Merkle retreat was the best thing for both of them.

Jake descended the stairs about 20 minutes later, dressed in sweatpants and t-shirt, his feet bare and his hair still wet from the shower. Olivia looked up at the sound of his reentry and smiled warmly at her husband. "Your timing is perfect; I was just about to set the table."

"I'll take care of it," he replied pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of her head before reaching above her to retrieve the plants from the cabinet.

Moments later they were seated in the dining room, starting their meal. Jake was the first to break the silence, "I'm sorry about losing my temper earlier. I know you were just trying to help. I just find the whole process so frustrating and I refuse the believe the only way to beat them is to join them. But, enough about me, I've been monopolizing the conversation. Considering all the effort you put in to make this meal, there must be something you want to talk about. How was your day?"

"It was…how should I say…Interesting."

"Really? What has Grant done now?"

"Mellie called off their engagement."

"What happened? Did she catch him in bed with the blond twins from Wonderland? What were their names?"

"Their names are Summer and Autumn and if I ever catch you near that place I'll castrate you and keep your dick in a formaldehyde jar." Jake instinctively covered his crotch with his left hand, involuntarily shuddering at the thought of such an injury. Olivia smiled wickedly at Jake's discomfort. "You were actually very close, she caught him in bed with a wine angel from Cibo."

Jake scoffed, "That's the Grant I knew in graduate school. Selfish prick. I don't know how you work for him."

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"You've decided to quit your job?" Jake asked with a little too much excitement in his voice.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because he's a womanizing, spoiled, manchild."

"So what? None of that has anything to do with me. He's professional at work and respects that I'm off limits," Olivia snapped.

"Olivia, why are you angry? If you're not quitting your job, what do you want to talk about?"

Olivia took a calming breath, exhaling deeply before continuing, "I'm not angry. I just get tired of the vitriol you're always slinging at Fitz. He's a generous boss. Grant Enterprises took a chance on me when we needed it most. So, if you're done…" Olivia paused for Jake to acknowledge her with a nod. "Have you heard of the Merkles' retreat, hosted by Stephen Merkle…"

"President and CEO of Merkle Industries," Jake finished. "Of course I've heard of the retreat. An invitation to the Merkles' retreat makes gods of men. Everyone that's ever 'arrived' in this business spent at least one weekend with the Merkles. I would have killed, quite literally, for an invitation when I was running Ballard and Associates. Why do you bring it up?"

"The retreat is this weekend and Fitz is attending to represent Grant Enterprises."

"How? Everyone knows the weekend is for couples only. Merkle is a notoriously conservative family man. There is no way he'll allow Grant within 100 miles of the retreat." Jake paused as the realization of Fitz's situation washed over him. "That explains his sudden relationship with Mellie. He knew Grant Enterprises scored an invitation and he needed a wife so that he could attend and secure Merkle's endorsement before the Board voted to appoint a new CEO of Grant Enterprises. He's really fucked himself this time. Dumb bastard, all he had to do was keep it in his pants for another week. He can't show up to the retreat without a wife or fiancée, someone else will have to attend to represent Grant Enterprises."

"Unless…"

"Unless, what? What's he going to do, try to pass one of his bimbos off as his fiancée? I wonder what Summer and Autumn are doing this weekend."

"Not them, me," Olivia mumbled into her plate. Mustering her confidence, Olivia held his gaze and continued, "He asked me to attend the retreat with him this weekend as his fiancée."

"What?" Jake asked incredulously. "Please tell me you're not considering this."

"He offered me $250 thousand to pretend to be his fiancée for the weekend."

"That's fucking insane. You're his married assistant, not an escort. He can't treat you like some cheap whore he found on the street."

"I'm going to pretend you just didn't call me a whore," Olivia replied coolly. "Think about what this money could mean for us, for our family. You said we needed to be financially stable before starting a family. This bonus would give us that security."

"That's before I knew your brilliant solution was to earn the money on your back."

"Fuck you, Jake. I'm not going to the Hamptons to sleep with Fitz. I wouldn't need the ruse of a business trip if that's what I wanted to do. I spend more time with him than I do with you. If I wanted to fuck him I would and I wouldn't be sitting here seeking your approval to do so."

"I knew when you were promoted to his office there would be trouble. I never should have let you work for that company. I knew it was just a matter of time before he tried something like this. I'm surprised it's taken him four years."

"You let me work for Grant Enterprises?" Olivia asked, her voice breaking with anger. "You didn't let me do anything. _I_ deserved that job and _I_ earned the promotion to Fitz's office. You didn't have anything to do with it. You are my husband and we used to be business partners. Why is it so hard for you to believe that Fitz is interested in something other than my body? You know how helpful I can be in these situations. How many times have I been in similar situations with you?"

"He didn't invite you to attend this retreat as his partner or as his assistant. He invited you as his fiancée, pulling this off requires a level of intimacy that shouldn't be present between a married woman and her boss. How do you know this isn't all a ploy to seduce you?"

"You're being ridiculous. Fitz didn't get engaged and then get caught cheating on his fiancée the week of the Merkle retreat just to whisk me away to the Hamptons to seduce me. Why are you always so negative when it comes to him?"

"Because I know Grant and I know you can't trust him?"

"Funny that you claim to know him."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I've been working for Fitz for four years and never once has he gotten your first name correct. I think you are far more worried about him than he is about you."

"He knows my first name. We were in grad school together."

"A fact you've reminded me of weekly since I started working for him. What is your deal with him? Why does he turn you into this crazy person?"

"You think defending my wife's honor and not willingly standing by while she falls into bed with another man makes me a crazy person. Who are you right now?"

"Who am I? I'm the same woman that gave up my dreams to work sixteen hour days by your side to help you build your dream. When you decided to leave Zyscovich Architects, I didn't question your judgement, I just stepped up and pitched in. When the company went under, I didn't judge you. Once again, I just rolled up my sleeves and pitched in. I understood that, in that economy, I had more marketable skills and experience than you did and it was up to me to support us. Now, I've been given the opportunity to earn a ridiculous sum of money doing something rather innocuous. I can help build our nest egg and help Fitz secure the CEO position, which would mean another promotion for me. All I need from you now is to support me without question and to trust that I would never do anything to hurt the family I'm trying to build."

"It sounds to me like you've already made up your mind. You weren't really asking me how I felt, you were just informing me how you would be spending your weekend. I thought we were partners. This should be a joint decision and I vote no."

Olivia angrily pushed her chair away from the table and jumped to her feet. "It's a good thing my life is not a democracy," she explained calmly as she headed out of the room. "You're on kitchen duty tonight. I'm going bed."

"Liv," he called after her as she exited the room.

"Don't," she replied without turning around. "You've already said enough. I'll let you know what I decide to do."

 **A/N: So, did you make it to the end? I want to hear what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update. I wrote this chapter three times. My computer ate the first version and, despite my best attempts, I could only recover about 25% of the draft. I rewrote the chapter and hated the second version so I wrote it again. Here's my third attempt, it's still not as good as my first version, but I hope you like it.**

The next morning, Olivia's eyes fluttered open and she groaned quietly when she looked at the clock and read five-thirty. She wasn't a morning person, but here she was wide awake a full forty-five minutes before her scheduled alarm. Damn you Fitzgerald Grant! He was expecting an answer this morning and she didn't have one to give.

She rolled over and took in her husband's sleeping form. How could he be sleeping at a time like this? She needed him to wake up and talk this through with her. She needed to know that he supported her no matter which decision she made. She wanted the money and the promotion, but she couldn't make the decision to go without knowing that he fully trusted her.

Why was he so prickly when it came to her boss? She would admit that Fitz was a notorious playboy and flirt and, at times, she enjoyed the attention, but harmless flirting is all that would ever be between them. She and Jake had worked through his jealousy and insecurity issues early in their relationship with only occasional flare ups since then, but things had gotten progressively worse since she started working at Grant Enterprises.

She rolled her eyes in frustration, concluding that he would never be able to set aside his personal issues with Fitz, whatever they were, to help her make this decision. She would have to decide for both of them. Acknowledging nothing more could be gained from lying awake in bed, she begrudgingly headed to the bathroom to get ready for her day.

Two hours later, Olivia was among the first to arrive on her floor. She looked across the hallway into Fitz's office and released a quiet scream. She expected Fitz to arrive within the hour and she was no closer to making a decision than she had been when she left his office yesterday. There had to be a better way to make this decision. Deciding to handle this old school, she popped in her wireless earbuds, selected J. Cole's latest album from her playlist, grabbed a pen and a pad, and focused on creating a list of pros and cons.

It only took three songs for her to complete her list. There were six items listed under the pros and only one, Jake, listed under the cons. Much to her disappointment, the list reflected the thing she has been struggling with for almost twenty-four hours. If she were single, she would have immediately accepted Fitz's proposal because the money and opportunity would have been impossible to refuse. But, she wasn't single and, for whatever reason, her husband was adamantly opposed to the idea of her attending the retreat with Fitz. Could she ignore Jake's wishes and make the decision she was convinced was not only in her best interest, but in the best interest of her family? Frustrated, she balled up the paper, hurled it in the direction of Fitz's office, and started the day's tasks.

It was a little after ten o'clock when Fitz stumbled into the office, reeking of scotch; wearing yesterday's rumpled suit minus the tie, which Olivia assumed was still tied to some woman's headboard; his hair disheveled, she assumed from the same woman's fingers. He grumbled a simple greeting to Olivia before heading into his office and closing the door.

Olivia wanted to scream. Here she was turning herself inside out to try to make a decision and Fitz was out partying all night. This weekend was perhaps the most important of his professional life thus far and If he wasn't going to make the effort to pretend he was still engaged, she wasn't going to fight with Jake so that she could do so. If that was how he planned to conduct himself in the Hamptons, he would have to hire an escort or actress to accompany him for the weekend.

Olivia waited an hour before entering Fitz's office. He was seated at his desk, his hair still damp from his recent shower, wearing one of the back-up suits she kept in his office closet, staring at his monitor. She approached his desk and set a mug of steaming hot coffee, eight hundred milligrams of ibuprofen, and a small bottle of Visine before him. He downed the ibuprofen with the coffee, grimacing as the scalding liquid burned his tongue, and gestured for Olivia to have a seat. "You are better to me than I deserve," he said, with a weak smile.

"And don't you forget it. Long night celebrating your return to bachelorhood?"

Fitz leaned his head back and dropped the clear liquid in his eyes. "It started off as a small thing with a few friends at Wonderland, but you know how these things go, the next thing I know I am waking up in some strange bed."

"Let me guess…blond hair, blue eyes, and big boobs?"

"You're right about the hair and boobs, but both were fake, the drapes definitely didn't match the carpet. She was asleep when I left so I can't comment on her eyes. But…enough about my night, how was your night?" Olivia fidgeted in her chair. "What's wrong? Did you talk to Jack? Did he convince you that this was all some elaborate ploy to seduce you?" Olivia didn't respond. "You know that's not true, right? This weekend is purely professional. Come here, I want to show you something," Fitz said as he reached into his drawer for a pair of binoculars. Olivia looked at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Trust me," he said, flashing her a lopsided grin. "I won't bite unless you beg me to."

Olivia rose from her chair and Fitz guided her to the window. "You're going to need these," he said handing her the binoculars. Olivia raised the binoculars to her eyes, looking at nothing particular. "Did you know the Miami skyline is the third tallest skyline in the United States? That's rather remarkable if you consider only a handful of the tallest buildings were built before 2000. I'm going to touch you now," Fitz warned before placing his hands on Olivia's hips, turning her body so that she was looking in the right direction. "You're looking for a medium sized building, from this distance, it probably looks like it's blue and white striped."

"I think I see it."

"You're looking at the Ritz Plaza Hotel. It was built in 1940 and was the tallest building in the city for thirty years. My grandfather designed that building," Fitz explained, the pride evident in his voice.

"Fitz, I had no idea," replied Olivia, her body posture softening in response to Fitz's emotion.

Without warning, Fitz gently shifted Olivia's hips so she was facing in a new direction. "You're looking for a new building. It's about twice as tall as the Ritz, the bottom third of the building is white, the top two-thirds are peach, and it has aquamarine accents on the balconies and windows. Do you see it?"

"I see it. That's the Portofino Tower. I have a friend that lives there."

"That building was built in 1997. It was the tallest skyscraper when it was completed and is the fourth largest skyscraper today. My father designed that building. He's responsible for a few skyscrapers of that era, but the Portofino Tower is my favorite."

"It's a beautiful building, but I have a feeling my tour of the Miami skyline isn't quite over."

"You're right," he said, once again using his hands to turn her in a new direction. "You're looking for the Akoyo Condominium. It's a tall white building with three large white triangles on the roof. Well, actually there are 12 triangles, but you can only see three from this angle."

"Fitz," Olivia responded, emotion now present in her voice. "I've seen that building before, but never took time to appreciate it. It's amazing! Did you design this building?"

"I did," he responded, now beaming with pride at her response. "In 2004, it was my first major design project. My father hovered around the project the entire time. I don't think he fully trusted that I wouldn't fuck it up. But, I didn't and that building is eight feet taller than the Portofino Tower, making it the third tallest skyscraper in Miami," he said with a broad smile that she could hear without turning around to see it.

"Not that you're counting or anything," she joked.

Fitz released a hearty laugh. "The original design was 75 feet taller, but we removed the white diamond from the top of the tower and replaced it with the smaller triangles."

Olivia gasped in surprise when, without warning, Fitz spun her around to face him, pulling her into his personal space, and lowered the binoculars from her face. "This weekend isn't a game to me, Liv," he said earnestly. "Do you know what they say about companies that have been under one family's control for three generations?" Olivia shook her head no. "They say the first generation builds the company, the second generation grows it, and the third generation blows it. That's not going to happen to Grant Enterprises, I won't let it. I'm going to be a better CEO than my father and my grandfather combined, but none of this will happen if I can't convince Stephen Merkle that I share his values and am a worthy business partner."

"Do you share his values?"

Fitz looked at Olivia intently, his crystal clear, sea blue eyes locked onto her chocolate brown doe eyes. "Of course. Don't we all want to share our lives with another person? To have someone with whom we can to celebrate life's high and that you know will have your back during life's lows. Isn't that what you have with Jack? I don't plan to be a bachelor forever. I want a family, a real family, with a wife, kids, and a dog, but I'm waiting for the right woman, a real woman. I just haven't found her, so I am enjoying myself while I wait for her to come into my life. But, when I find her," he paused, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, "trust me, I'm all in and we're going to build something special. So, what's it going to be beautiful, are you in?"

Fitz didn't know why he shared all of that with Olivia, but it just felt right. Everything about being there, in that moment, with her simply felt right. For some reason he couldn't explain, he wanted, no needed, her to believe in him, to be proud of him. There was no one he trusted more than Olivia and he needed her to understand that he was serious about his future, about their future together at Grant Enterprises.

It wasn't until Olivia attempted to speak that she realized that she had stopped breathing. She willed herself to calm down, but the air between them was so thick with emotion she was having difficulty doing so. She broke their connection briefly to collect herself before looking up at him and responding, "I'm in. I'll do it."

"And it's going to be great," he said with a warm smile.

"It's going to be great," she concurred, returning his smile. Until the moment the words escaped her lips Olivia was certain she was going to decline his offer. Her decision had been unceremoniously made for her when Fitz dragged into the office clearly hungover, but there was something about the pride in his voice when he talked about this family's accomplishments and the sincerity in his voice when he spoke about his future family that made her believe he was serious. She couldn't remember the last time Jake looked at her, really looked at her and it had been more than a decade since he took her breath away. Fitz had done both in the last fifteen minutes and he wasn't talking about anything to do with her. He needed her help and she wanted to help him, she would just have to find a way to make Jake understand.

Fitz noticed the faraway look in Olivia's eyes and wondered what she was thinking about. Trying to relieve some of the emotional tension, he stepped away from her and quickly pivoted, "Excellent. We have a lot of work to do in a couple of days. First, I need you to go to this address," he said, pulling a slip of paper out of his breast pocket and handing it to her. "Stacey is expecting you."

"How did you know I would say yes?"

Fitz simply smirked at Olivia in response, "I know you. You're a fixer, a control freak. This opportunity was too full of possibilities for both of us for you to trust an actress or escort not to fuck up. Once Mellie left, you were the only person that we both trusted to handle this weekend."

The moment they'd just shared passed, Olivia flipped him the bird as she headed toward the door. "Wait…did you say Stacey was expecting me?" she asked, turning around to face him. "Your stylist? The one you use to make strippers presentable at corporate events?"

"Relax, Liv, it's not what you think."

Olivia brushed aside her annoyance at Fitz's patronizing tone. "What's wrong with my style?" she asked, suddenly feeling incredibly insecure.

Fitz sensed Olivia's change in demeanor and immediately acted to reassure her. "There's nothing wrong with your style. I love your style and I instructed Stacey not to change it."

"I'm confused."

"The problem's not your style, Liv, it's your labels." Olivia remained silent, not quite following him. "You don't wear the designers you would if we were together. We need to add a zero to your price tags. Stacey loves to spend my money. This process will go a lot faster if you let her help you, but I understand if you're uncomfortable. I will just give you my credit card and you can shop on your own."

"No, it's fine. I'll meet with Stacey," she replied, suddenly feeling foolish for her overreaction. "Do you want me to ask Lauren to cover your phone for a couple of hours? I'll be back after my appointment."

"No you won't. I have a full day of pampering and transformation planned for you. I've arranged for Charlotte from the assistant pool to cover for you. She should be here any minute. Now, go, enjoy your Pretty Woman moment."

"You know she was a prostitute, right? I'm not sleeping with you Fitzgerald. I don't care how much money you offer me," she warned.

"I wouldn't want you if you would," he quipped.

Olivia's bottom lip protruded in a pout, wounded by the thought of Fitz's rejection. _Get yourself together_ , she chided herself, _you're married. It doesn't matter if he would sleep with you or not because you will never sleep with him. You love your husband; you are committed to him. This thing with Fitz is pretend for four days. Tuesday will come and Fitz will go back to his life and you will go back to Jake._

Recovering quickly, Olivia asked, "Since when are you above paying for sex?"

"I'm not," he laughed. "I just don't want to pay for sex with you."

"It's not happening buster," she said waiving her left hand in front of her face.

"So you keep telling me. Why do you have to be a dream killer?"

"You'll live," she called over her shoulder as she exited his office.

As they separated, both Fitz and Olivia reflected on what just happened. They had had similar exchanges at least a hundred times over the past four years, but this time his words felt a little sincerer and her rebuttal rang a little hollow. Something was changing between them, but they were both determined to ignore it until it passed.

 **A/N: She said yes! But, we all knew she would. It wouldn't be an Olitz story if she decided to stay home with Jake.** **Fitz and Olivia are playing a dangerous game, but neither of them seem to understand the stakes or…maybe they do and they just don't care. As always, I love hear your thoughts – good, bad, and otherwise.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks so much for all of your comments. I hear you, even if it doesn't appear that I'm listening to you. :-) This story has been fun to write so I'm encouraged that many of you seem to enjoy reading it.**

It was after ten o'clock that night when Olivia pulled into her garage. It had been a long day of pampering and preparation that left her equal parts relaxed, refreshed, and exhausted. Although she would never admit it to Fitz, she found working with Stacey a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Stacey presented four rolling racks of options based on Fitz's description of Olivia's style, which was eerily accurate, and a mountain of shoes. When Olivia tried on the first dress she immediately noted that the tags were missing. When she asked about the oddity, Stacey informed her that, per Fitz's instruction, all of the tags had been removed. Olivia asked why and all Stacey offered in explanation was she was given four specific instructions: remove all the price tags; Oliva was to get anything she wanted, no exceptions; Olivia was not allowed to pay for anything; and no lingerie, giving Olivia and Stacey a good chuckle.

Four hours later, they had narrowed the choices down to a rack and a half of yes's and a half a rack of maybe's and a small hill of shoes. Olivia was hesitant to get more than what was needed for the extended weekend, but Stacey reminded her of the second rule. Ultimately, Olivia walked away with all of the yes's a few of the maybe's and more shoes than she had room for in her closet.

When Olivia was wrapping up, Stacey handed her another slip of paper with a new address. Olivia typed the address into her car's GPS and learned she was headed to the Fountainebleau Hotel. At first she was alarmed that Fitz was sending her to a hotel, but then remembered the no lingerie rule. Fitz was clearly respecting her repeated warnings that this was a professional arrangement so she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

When she arrived at the hotel, she was directed to the Lapis Spa. Her first stop was the Bleau private spa where she received the services of a bath butler and skilled therapist. Olivia wished she had more time to linger in the beautiful room, but following the massage she was whisked away for a series of appointments that included an instant luminosity facial, spalicious manicure and pedicure, and a wash, cut, blowout, and style in the salon.

Olivia was amused when the salon receptionist politely pointed out that her full day didn't include waxing and inquired if Olivia would like to add the service. Olivia was unsure if Fitz overlooked the service or if he was respecting her boundaries, but she suspected it was the latter. Although not necessary for the weekend, Olivia was feeling indulgent and added the service. Much to her dismay, at the conclusion of her services, the receptionist refused to accept payment for the waxing service because she and Stacey had been provided with similar instructions - she was to get anything she wanted and was not allowed to pay for anything.

Olivia rested her forehead against her steering wheel, dreading going in the house. Fitz planned an incredible day for her and now she had to go in the house and explain to her husband why she agreed to help Fitz, a decision she doubt he would support. After a lengthy pep talk, she exited her car and headed for the house, grateful that clothes were scheduled to be delivered the following morning and that she didn't have to greet Jake surrounded by the proof of Fitz's largesse.

Olivia was slightly confused when she entered a dark house. Jake's car was parked in the garage, but there was no evidence that he was home. The only sign of life in the townhouse was a faint light coming from the living room. She headed in that direction calling out, "Jake, babe, are you down here."

"In here," Jake responded in a muffled and distorted voice.

Olivia found Jake sitting in the mostly dark living room, the only light coming from a small lamp in the corner of the room. She flipped on the light switch asking, "Why are you sitting in the dark?"

Jake winced at the blinding light. Ignoring her question, he asked, "How was your day at work?" his intoxication evident in his voice.

Olivia looked at Jake and the glass of bourbon sitting beside him. She wondered how many drinks he had waiting for her to get home. "It was a long day. Sorry, I'm late and didn't call," she said, leaning over to kiss Jake as she reached into her purse for her phone. "I had to turn my phone off this afternoon. How many times did you call?"

"I lost count after the fifth call. What were you and Grant working on that made you turn off your phone?" he replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

"I wasn't with Fitz. I was out of the office most of the day."

"I know. I called your office when your car wasn't in the garage when I arrived. Some other woman answered your phone and informed me that you were out of the office and weren't returning until Tuesday. Were you planning to tell me you accepted his offer or were you just going to disappear on Thursday?" he asked angrily, slamming back the rest of his drink before rising from his chair and grabbing his empty glass.

"Jake, wait, it's not what you think. We need to talk about this."

"What's left to talk about? That," he gestured toward the front door, "did all of your talking for you." he asked, his words heavily slurred.

Olivia looked in the direction Jake was pointing and saw a new set of Louis Vuitton luggage. She silently kicked herself for not stopping by Jake's office on her way to Stacey's. She should have known after the first surprise there would be more. She knew Fitz's style and should have anticipated he would send at least one of his surprises to her house. Olivia wanted to be mad at Fitz, he knew she had a husband waiting for her at home, but knew she was the only one to blame for Jake's current state. "How many of those have you had?" she asked meekly. "Are you sober enough to have this discussion?"

"What's left to discuss? He asked you to spend the weekend with him and offered you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, a possible promotion, gifts, and other perks to sweeten the pot. You, in what can only be described as a moment of teenage naiveté, presented this ridiculous and insulting deal to me, your husband. I, responding the only way any husband that actually gave a shit about his wife would, was outraged on your behalf and insisted that you declined the offer. You throw a temper tantrum and storm off, giving me the silent treatment.

"The next morning, you leave before I wake up, preventing us from having any further discussion. At some point today you, without so much as a text message to your husband telling him what you were planning to do, tell your boss, the biggest fuckboy on the planet, that you'll go. I find out about your decision not from you, but when a delivery guy drops off ten thousand dollars' worth of luggage to our condo.

"Did I miss anything? And don't try to pretend that the luggage wasn't intended for you. I tried to decline the delivery when I saw the card was addressed to Vivienne, but the man insisted the delivery was for Olivia Ballard at this address. Why does he call you Vivienne and who the hell is Edward?" he asked flicking the card in Olivia's direction.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia asked, enraged by Jake's attempt to dress her down and completely confused by his reference to Vivienne.

"Are you denying that he's buying you gifts? The card mentioned a new wardrobe. What time is that arriving?"

Olivia picked up the card, holding it a moment, uncertain if she should proceed with her husband watching and read.

 _My Dearest Vivienne,_

 _I trust you enjoyed your transformation into Miami's newest socialite. I hope these bags prove worthy of your new wardrobe._ _Rest up beautiful, we have another long day ahead of us tomorrow. Don't worry about work, I asked Charlotte to cover the office. I'll send a car for you around 11, dress casually. I remain forever grateful._

 _Adoringly yours,_

 _Edward_

Never more grateful for her caramel colored skin, Olivia felt her body flush at the inclusion of her new nickname. She wasn't sure when he started calling her beautiful, but she knew Fitz only dated exceptionally beautiful women and was flattered by his recent attention. Winning the battle against the smile that threated to creep across her face, Olivia refocused on Jake.

Jake watched Olivia's subtle body languages are she read the card. There was obviously a subtext there that he wasn't privy to and, judging by her kinesic signals, this subtext had little to do with their professional relationship. "I need another drink."

"Don't you think you've had enough?"

Jake looked at her incredulously. "What I think is that you lost the right to question me about any decision I make the moment you decided to go to the Hamptons with Fitz." With that Jake stormed off in the direction of the kitchen.

Olivia began pacing in circles, worried what Jake would do next. This wasn't at all how she thought the evening would go. She expected that he would be angry and explosive, maybe yell or break things. She wasn't at all prepared for this drunk, but completely controlled version of her husband. For the first time in more than a decade she worried about the future of her marriage. After a few minutes, she calmed down enough that she could sit on the couch and patiently wait for Jake to make his next move.

It wasn't long before Jake returned to the living room, another drink in hand. "He's not buying me gifts," Olivia offered calmly and far more confidently than she actually felt. "The luggage and the clothes are business purchases; things I need to do the job I've been assigned. It's no different than the company laptop I bring home every night."

"There's a huge difference between the luggage and your laptop. That luggage cost more than you make in a month. And…this weekend isn't a work assignment, it's personal, a favor you're doing for him. Does his father even know what the two of you are planning?" he shouted, frustrated that she refused to acknowledge the absurdity of her arrangement. Did she really expect that he would have no problem with her pretending to be another man's fiancée for a weekend?

"Fitz and I work together, that's all there is to our relationship. I don't understand why you can't accept that this is purely a business decision," Olivia pleaded.

"Do you also expect me to be understanding when, in a week, a month, a year or however long it takes, you are sitting in that same spot begging for forgiveness. Do you expect me to understand that you didn't intend to sleep with your boss, that things just got out of control and you don't know how it happened? Because the decision you made today, to put your boss above your husband, will be how it happens. Why create the temptation?"

"Is that how little you think of me? Do you really think a couple of outfits and some luggage is all it takes for me to betray you? There is 'temptation' everywhere and I've managed to remain faithful to you for 12 years. There is no reason to expect the next 6 days will change that and, if it did, doesn't that suggest much bigger problems in our relationship."

"Is that what this is about? Are you unhappy? I know we've had a lot of big changes lately – we lost the business and instead of working together we now work for competitors. It's not easy for me either, but at least my bastard boss isn't showering me with expensive gifts and vacations. Why can't you see what he's doing? All of this is intentional, he's trying to drive a wedge between us, one he can leverage to sleep with you. That's what he really wants, to sleep with my wife."

"What did he do to you in graduate school? Did he sleep with your girlfriend? Steal your design plan? Get the internship or job you really wanted? What happened between the two of you that makes it impossible for you to believe that I have something to offer other than what's between my thighs? Why can't you have a reasonable response to anything related to him?"

"I had a reasonable response when you wanted to accept the position at Grant Enterprises. I had a reasonable response when you wanted to accept the promotion that moved you to his office. I have had a reasonable response to every career decision you've made during your tenure at Grant Enterprises. What you are asking me to accept now is not reasonable. My response is reasonable, it's you that's being unreasonable."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Drop it Olivia, it was a long time ago, the specifics aren't important. All you need to know is Grant has a well-deserved reputation for getting what he wants and for punishing those that stand in his way," he barked.

"Even if that's true, he doesn't want me. He wants to be CEO of Grant Enterprises. I would be standing in his way if I decided not to go and the whole weekend was a disaster. I'm helping him get what he wants, there's no reason for you to worry."

"You keep telling yourself that. Whatever you need to do to justify this to yourself. If there's nothing else you would like to discuss, I'm going to bed," he said as he walked out of the room.

Olivia thought about stopping him, but she didn't know what else there was to say. It was clear that he didn't trust her alone with Fitz and this infuriated Olivia. She had never given him any reason to doubt her or suspect that she had an ulterior motive to the one she presented. This opportunity was business pure and simple and she wasn't going to twist herself in knots trying to convince her husband of her value as an employee. She had worked tirelessly at his side for years proving herself a capable partner, assistant, cheerleader, and therapist. What she agreed to do for Fitz was the same role she had played for Jake, the only difference that she would be pretending with Fitz. Why couldn't he see that?

Oliva leaned back on the couch, sinking into the oversized pillows, and exhaled deeply. The exchange with Jake had gone much better than she anticipated, but the way he found out could be problematic when he was thinking about this with a clear head in the morning. She knew Jake was never going to be happy about her decision, but she was planning to trade on the trust she'd worked hard to develop over the years. Now, that there was a crack in that trust. She hadn't intentionally kept her decision a secret from him, she just got caught up in all that Fitz had planned for the day.

Olivia looked over at the new set of luggage and shook her head. It was an over the top and ridiculous gesture, but completely in keeping with Fitz's personality. For years, Olivia had been charged with sending extreme gifts and flower arrangements to Fitz's latest paramour. She wondered who he had arranging things for her. She hoped it wasn't someone from the office, that would only add to the rumors that the two of them were having an affair. Olivia looked at her watch and noted it was after eleven o'clock. Fitz was probably at a club, but she didn't want the day to end without thanking him for his incredible generosity. She grabbed her phone to send him a quick text, knowing that he probably wouldn't see it until the morning.

 _Olivia: Thx 4 the day & the luggage. Everything was perfect but way 2 much. U shouldn't have but Im grateful u did._

That done, Olivia tossed her phone on the couch and headed to the kitchen for a glass of wine. Full glass and back-up bottle in hand, she returned to the living room, grabbing the remote control before once again settling on the couch. She channel surfed for a while before settling on an episode of _Insecure._ She thought the show was smart, authentic, and funny, but Jake didn't get the show's subtleties. After suffering through the first episode with him, she decided it was best to watch when he wasn't around. She was about 5 minutes into the episode when her phone alerted her to an incoming text. She was surprised to see two texts from Fitz, the first one received immediately after her thank you text.

 _Fitz: UR welcome and most deserving. Did u get my note?_

 _Fitz: U there?_

Olivia wondered where Fitz was and who he was with that allowed him to respond so quickly.

 _Olivia: Here. Jake got ur note & wasnt amused. How many times do I have 2 tell u im not ur pretty woman? :-) _

Fitz responded immediately.

 _Fitz: Its a fed crime 2 read someone else mail. Do u want me 2 call the police?_

 _Olivia: I think us spending 4 days alone n NY is punishment enuf._

 _Fitz: How was Stacey?_

 _Olivia: Cool, but warmed up when I told her I was ur married assistant. Did u2 date?_

 _Fitz: No. Hooked up a couple of times._

 _Olivia: SMH_

 _Fitz: Did u get what u needed?_

 _Olivia: Yes, thx. U didnt have 2 remove the tags._

 _Fitz: Didnt want u to worry about $$. How was the spa?_

 _Olivia: Excellent. A girl could get used 2 this. :)_

 _Fitz: Only the best 4 my bride 2b._

 _Olivia: :-P_

Olivia was surprised by how rapidly Fitz's responses were coming. He rarely slept alone and, now that Mellie had called off their engagement, he should be on the prowl for his latest bedfellow. She began to have wildly inappropriate thoughts of him texting her while engaged in various carnal activities. Truly curious as to how he was spending his evening, she continued the conversation.

 _Olivia: Where r u?_

 _Fitz: Home. Y do u want 2 come over? ;-) Where is Jeff?_

 _Olivia: *Jake* is upstairs sleeping it off._

 _Fitz: Trouble in paradise?_

Olivia paused before responding. She was getting too comfortable, too loose with Fitz. He was naturally charming and she was going to have to work harder to remember he was her boss, not one of her girlfriends. Her drama with Jake was none of his concern, even if he was the cause.

 _Olivia: Everything is gr8. He just overdid it celebrating my big bonus._

 _Fitz: If so, y r u on the phone w/ me while hes n bed alone. Did he pass out b4 he took care of u? RU sure u don't want 2 come over? I could help u out. ;-)_

Olivia laughed aloud at Fitz's text and use of emoticons and immediately felt guilty about it. Jake was upstairs passed out because he drank away his anger rather than take it out on her and her she was texting and laughing with Fitz. She drained the rest of the wine from her glass and sent one final text.

 _Oliva: Ur shameless. Than perfect day. Im going 2 bed w/ Jake. Have another long day 2morrow. Should have known pretending 2 love u would b hard work. :-)_

 _Fitz: Its only work cuz ur trying not 2 enjoy it. Good night beautiful. Sweet dreams._

With that, Olivia quickly deleted the exchange with Fitz from her phone and headed upstairs to join her husband.

 **A/N: Soooo…another Jake chapter, sorry. I know you are eager for Fitz and Olivia to leave for their weekend, but I needed to add some emotional turmoil to start to weaken Olivia's defenses when it came to Fitz. Next chapter will be 100% Olitz, but it won't be the start of the weekend. Fitz has another day of surprises planned for Olivia and may end up being surprised himself. Until then…ciao.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry to disappear. Life can be so distracting when you're trying to write. Plus, I'm still recovering for the sight of a new black chic in Fitz's bed on Scandal. The sight made me stress eat. I miss Olitz and that kicked my butt to finish this chapter.**

 **Warning Chapter 5 is mostly fluff to move the story along. The good news, if you want more, is that this was turning into a 7K word chapter so I picked a place to end this chapter and start the next. About half of Chapter 6, which has a little more substance, is already written and the rest is pretty complete in my head. I should be able to post again within a week.**

At precisely eleven o'clock the next morning the doorbell rang. Olivia opened the door for a well-dressed young man. "Hi, I'm Brian," he introduced himself, "Mr. Grant sent me to pick up Mrs. Olivia Ballard. Are you Mrs. Ballard?"

"Olivia, please, and I'm ready."

"Please come with me Mrs. Ballard." Olivia rolled her eyes at Brian's formal reply and followed him to the car.

When they reached the car, Brian opened the rear passenger side door and helped Olivia into the car.

"Hi," Fitz greeted her in his rich baritone.

Expecting the car to be empty, Olivia startled at the sound of his voice. "Shit, Fitz, you scared me. What are you doing here?"

"Good morning beautiful," Fitz responded, practically beaming with joy at being reunited with her. "Speaking of beautiful, you look amazing. Not at all casual, but amazing nonetheless. I thought we could spend the day together. Is that okay with you?"

Olivia looked at Fitz, all eager and excited about what he had planned for her, and found him irresistible. "Hmmm….tell me what you have planned and I'll think about it," she responded, far more seductively than she intended.

Fitz didn't miss Olivia's tone, but he opted to tuck it away and ease her into the day. "Well…the Marlins are playing your beloved Red Sox this afternoon. I thought we could go to the game, but you are inappropriately dressed for a baseball game, unless you're the kind of woman that gets dressed up to go to a game."

Olivia looked down at her outfit, she was wearing a cream puffy sleeve top, a slate grey and cream speckled skirt with bright salmon strips, and nude four inch Jimmy Choo peep toe pumps. "I am most definitely not that kind of girl. I could run up and change quickly."

"No, you're perfect, gorgeous and I love what you did with your hair. I'll adjust our plans."

Olivia smiled brightly. She'd taken a risk with her hair, agreeing to an asymmetrical brown ombre bob with caramel highlights that could be worn wavy or straight. Jake had been too drunk and angry to notice the change and she was feeling a little needy for external validation. "But I want to see my Sox," she pouted. "It will only take a minute for me to change into jeans, a Sox t-shirt, and flats."

"It's not my fault a woman as intelligent as you are can't follow a simple instruction. I said dress casually."

"I thought you meant Fitz's fiancée casual, not going to a baseball game casual. I bet Mellie wouldn't dare go out in public in jeans and a t-shirt."

"She also wouldn't be caught dead at baseball game. You, my dear, are a different breed entirely. Not only would you enjoy the game, but you would know the players and their stats. How many players were selected for last month's All Star game?"

"Six – Ortiz, Bogaerts, Betts, Bradley, Wright, and Kimbrel – the most since 2008." Fitz chuckled at her enthusiasm as she rattled of the names of the Red Sox players. He had no idea if she was correct or not, he just enjoyed watching her reaction. "But, the Cubs are going to win it all this year. Their entire infield started for the National League."

"Those loveable losers? They haven't won since the early 1900s."

Olivia placed her hand over her heart and shrugged her shoulders. "I have a soft spot for loveable losers."

"Is that why you're married to John?" Fitz quipped.

"No, but it _is_ why I'm this this car with you," she quickly replied with a wink, before erupting into a fit of giggles.

"You think you're funny, just for that we are absolutely not going to the game. Brian," he called, getting the driver's attention, "take us to the Indian Creek Country Club." Brian immediately directed the car into traffic and navigated toward the club.

"Fitz, I want to see my Sox," she whined. Fitz couldn't believe how sexy she looked with her arms crossed and her bottom lip protruding as she pretended to pout. The Olivia he knew from work was an occasional flirt, but the confident, charming minx beside him was wholly unexpected and he was completely captivated. If she kept this up, it was going to be a very long day. "Going to your golf club is not an acceptable substitution. I hate golf. Am I even welcome there?"

"Of course you're welcome. You're my guest. Why wouldn't you be welcome?"

Olivia raised a questioning eyebrow, but Fitz's only response was a blank stare. "Do you really not know what I'm talking about?"

"I don't," he responded honestly. "Enlighten me."

"I'm sure I don't look like the other members," she said, pointing to the back of her hand.

"Why, because you're black? Jay-Z and Beyoncé are members. They're black."

Olivia couldn't contain her laughter. "They're also Jay-Z and Beyoncé. Of course they can be members. I am not Beyoncé. While, we're on the subject. Am I even believable as your fiancée? I thought you preferred your women blond."

"This is Miami. I've dated beautiful women of all ethnicities. Trust me, no one will question why I fell in love with you. You as my fiancée may be more believable than Mellie."

Olivia's face flushed with heat. She knew he wasn't actually in love with her, but there was something about the way he said it that made her feel desired. "Fine," she said, still not entirely comfortable about joining him at Miami's most exclusive country club. "I'm not thrilled about it, but I'll go. However, I'm not playing golf and I'm not watching you play golf either," she warned.

Fitz smiled, "I'll make you a deal. We are going to the club for lunch, but, since you're being so cooperative, the next time your Red Sox are in town, I'll get us two tickets right behind the dugout. Unless, you'd rather sit in the Diamond Club."

"You have a deal, but only if you agree to wear a Red Sox t-shirt and hat," she replied, picturing his precious curls hidden beneath the hat. She wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers through those curls. Would they be as soft and silky as they looked? Would he moan as the pleasure emanating from her fingers trickled throughout his body?

Fitz noticed the faraway look on Olivia's face and wondered what she was thinking about. Her statement was innocuous enough, but it obviously triggered a thought or a memory, maybe even a fantasy. He was curious if she was thinking about him and, if so, what exactly she was imagining him doing. "Liv," he called, reluctantly pulling her from her thoughts. "We're here," he announced as the car pulled in front of the club entrance.

"Oh, okay," she replied sheepishly, slightly embarrassed to be caught fantasizing about him.

Brian quickly exited the car and opened Fitz's door, permitting him to exit the vehicle. Fitz rounded the car and opened Olivia's door. He admired her bare, smooth, golden brown legs as she gracefully exited from the car. Had she always been this beautiful, this desirable? He was sincere when he pitched this plan to her as a business arrangement, but he was starting to doubt his ability to keep things strictly professional. How was he supposed to share a space with this intoxicating creature for four days and not respond to her? Desperate to touch her, he placed his hand on the small of her back, gently guiding her toward the door. When his hand made contact with the material of her blouse, she flinched.

"Relax, Livvie," he whispered in her ear, "as your fiancé I'm going to have to touch you periodically. We can't have you flinching, revealing the lack of intimacy in our relationship." Olivia silently chastised herself for her physical reaction to Fitz's touch. He'd gotten it all wrong, she didn't flinch because she was uncomfortable, she flinched because the heat from his simple touch ignited a desire that echoed through her body. What was happening to her? She'd spent the last four years at his side, but today his simple proximity set off a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. Fitz was counting on her to be professional, not some love-struck teenager. Willing herself to get it together, she threw back her shoulders and confidently strode forward through the door Fitz was holding.

"Mr. Grant, welcome back. It's been a while since your last visit" the greeter called out warmly.

"It's been too long Gael. I didn't call ahead, but we were hoping you'd have a table available for lunch."

"For you, Mr. Grant, anything. I'll call to the restaurant and have them prepare a table. Do you need an escort or do you remember the way?"

"Gael, you flatter me, but I know for a fact you would have said the same to any member. No need for an escort, Olivia and I will make our own way to the restaurant."

Once they were seated, Olivia was the first to speak. "Livvie? Where did that come from?" she asked.

"It just sort of came out. It thought pet names would make us more believable and I can't exactly call you beautiful all the time. Do you hate it?"

"No…it's just…" her words trailing off as she wistfully looked at the table. "It's just no one has called me that in a very long time."

Sensing her sadness, Fitz replied, "That one doesn't have to stick. I can use something else. What does John call you?"

"Livvie's fine," she countered, smiling softly. "I like the sound of it in your voice. It just caught me off-guard, that's all. I know what to expect now." Changing the subject, she said, "Now that we're settled, will you tell me why you wanted to have lunch here instead of going to the game? You know I'm not actually Vivienne. I already know which utensil to use with each course."

Fitz released a hearty laugh, causing the other patrons to take note of their table. "Look around," he softly commanded. Olivia discreetly let her eyes wander the room, quietly observing the occupants of the near and far tables. "Do you recognize anyone?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm confident. This is not exactly my usual crowd. Why, do you recognize them?"

"Yes, I know most of the people here, but it's important that they don't know you or Jake."

"I don't know anyone and I don't' think Jake does either. Why is this important?"

"It's important because I brought you here to test our chemistry."

Olivia frowned in confusion, "How is lunch at your club supposed to test our chemistry?"

"This is not just lunch, beautiful. It's our first official date," he said with a wicked grin. Olivia felt her body flush with excitement and silently scolded herself for physically reacting to his flirting. "Some of Miami's biggest gossips are in this room. I'm sure all of them have heard that I'm dating someone, but none of them know that I was engaged to Mellie. I want you to convince them that you are the woman I'm dating, the one responsible for changing my playboy ways."

"What are the rules?" she asked, already confident she would succeed. She could tell from the way the restaurant hushed a little when they entered that she and Fitz had already attracted many of their attention. It wouldn't be hard to convince them of something they already suspected.

"There are no rules. You can say or do anything you want. I will do the things expected of any loving, adoring fiancé, but I won't initiate any contact. I will do anything you ask me to and, of course, I will follow your lead wherever you take me."

"You will do anything I ask?" she asked with one eyebrow raised. "Anything?"

If only she knew that he would gladly accept any challenge, agree to any request, if it meant he could hold her attention for just a little longer. "If you're bold enough to ask, I'm confident I can comply."

"Challenge accepted." Olivia slipped her left hand off the table, discreetly removing her bridal set and placing the rings in her purse. When she finished, she roughly massaged her ring finger before bringing her hand back to the table. Fitz, unable to see what she was doing, looked at her with amused curiosity. When Olivia saw his expression, she explained, "It's kind of hard to sell a romance when only one half of the couple is wearing a wedding ring."

Fitz dropped his gaze to her naked ring finger wishing it were truly that easy to remove her husband from the picture. Shaking away thoughts of what could be if she were single, he leaned across the table and whispered, "Quickly, before the waiter returns, are you the kind of woman that likes it when a man orders for her or does the thought of it make you want to burn your bra?"

Olivia giggled, once again causing some of the female patrons to take note of their table, and batted her long eyelashes at Fitz before replying softly, "Your dom is showing. You can order the drinks and I'll think about letting you order lunch."

"Fuck," Fitz quietly whispered under his breath at both the idea of the lovely temptress seated before him in the role of sexual submissive and the waiter's untimely return to the table.

"Have you had an opportunity to review our wine list? Are you ready to order or would you like me to send over the sommelier?"

"We'll have a bottle of Dom Perignon, unless the lady prefers Veuve Clicquot."

"Dom Perignon is acceptable," she replied demurely.

"The lady has excellent taste," the waiter offered before heading in the direction of the bar.

When the waiter was clear of the table, Olivia reached across the table and entangled his fingers with her own, ignoring the tingling sensation spreading through her body when they touched. "Are we celebrating something or is champagne a staple at your business lunches?"

Fitz listened intently while lazily drawing small circles on the back of her hand, enjoying the feel of her smooth skin against his rough fingertips. "Champagne is a staple at all my lunches, business or otherwise, with beautiful women."

Olivia broke eye contact and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "You are incorrigible."

"And you can't take a compliment."

Olivia's eyes quickly flashed back to his burning brightly. "Yes, I can."

"If so, then explain to me why you shrink a little bit every time I tell you that you're beautiful. Surely people have been telling you this you're whole life."

Olivia look at him blankly. This was a question one answered for her lover, not her boss. How was she supposed to explain the mixture of emotions she felt sitting across from him? She couldn't possibly explain how different, how seen and appreciated, she felt when she was with him these past few days. How could she explain the butterflies he set off in her stomach every time she felt him looking at her? She wouldn't dare speak to her insecurity that, despite the perfectly coiffed hair, fancy clothes, and expensive shoes, she still didn't fit in his world and would any minute be exposed for the fraud she believed she was.

Fitz, sensing her hesitance to respond, quickly offered, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I just don't understand how a woman as beautiful you are isn't used to people telling her that she's beautiful."

"No need to apologize. It was a fair question. The short answer is I blossomed late. I your typical socially awkward teenage girl, too smart, too thin, flat chested, braces, and glasses. Think of the girl you cheated off of in calculus." Olivia looked up and was a little unnerved by the expression on Fitz's face and he tried to picture the girl she described turning into the woman he knew. She took a long swallow, focusing on her water glass instead of Fitz and continued. "Trust me, no one thought I was beautiful. Eventually, the braces came off and I transitioned to contacts, but still no one was breaking down my door for a date. Then, one day, this," she said gesturing to her now voluptuous figure, "happened. Suddenly, boys who couldn't see me before went out of their way to impress me. The problem is that I wasn't used to the attention and mistook flattery for sincerity. I had to learn the hard way that people will say anything to get what they want from you."

"And now," he interrupted, "when someone tells you that you're beautiful you assume the asshole only wants to sleep with you. I never met the girl you described and I've barely scratched the surface to the woman you've become, but from you I sit you are an exceptionally beautiful and talented woman. It's unfortunate that you don't believe me when I say it."

"Why?" she asked, anger rising in her voice. "I believed Jake when he said it. I was young and bitter when we met, life dealt me a raw hand, but he was able to see past that. He was kind, patient, and he showed me that not all men leave once they get what they want. He's the perfect husband. He's loving, devoted, and supportive. He's my biggest fan and the loudest voice in my balcony. He was there for me when I was all alone in life and he never, not once, acted as if I owed him something. I couldn't ask for a better partner in life. I don't need your, or anyone else's, validation."

Breaking his own rule, Fitz reached out and caressed her cheek. Staring deeply into her eyes, he calmly replied, "It's unfortunate because you deserved so much more. You deserved options. You deserved men from all walks of life clamoring for your attention, fighting for your devotion. You are an amazing woman, any man, hell every man, would be lucky to have you in his life, and you deserved more than one voice telling you that. You deserved an old-fashioned cockfight, pissing match, or duel to the death with scores of men reminding you every day exactly how special you are. You didn't get that and, while you may think your husband is perfect, you'll never really know that because he's the only man you trust."

"I am not a prize at the state fair, you can't win me," Olivia hissed with a forced smile on her face, pulling her hand away from his.

Fitz silently berated himself. What the hell was he thinking, pushing her like that? How did he think she would respond to him challenging the foundation of her marriage? Did he really expect her to forget about more than a decade of marriage just because he told her she was beautiful? Needing to regain control of the conversation, he responded, "That's what you think this is? Me trying to win you? I'm absolutely trying to win, but you're not the prize I'm after. I'm chasing another, more attainable, brass ring – complete control of Grant Enterprises, my birthright."

Olivia leaned back in her seat, suddenly feeling foolish. She'd projected her mixed emotions onto Fitz and assumed he was trying to seduce her. "I'm sorry. I overreacted. I don't know what I was thinking."

"No, I'm the one that needs to apologize. I shouldn't have said what I said. Your marriage is none of my business. Can we start over?"

"Of course," she replied, smiling brightly. "The waiter is headed our way. You can order lunch for both of us."

As soon as Olivia stopped talking, the waiter appeared at their table. He made a small production of uncorking and pouring the champagne, clearly performing for Olivia. When the champagne was served, Fitz turned to the waiter and asked, "Is Juan Carlos here?"

"Chef Ramirez is in the kitchen preparing for tonight's dinner menu. Chef Johnston will be preparing your meal. Do you have a special request?"

"Yes, will you tell Juan Carlos that Fitzgerald Grant is here and would like to speak with him?"

"Of course, sir," the waiter responded, before quickly disappearing from the table.

"What are you up to Fitzgerald?"

He flashed her a wicked grin. "You'll see," he teased. "While we wait," he said, reaching for his glass, "I'd like to propose a toast."

"Please," Olivia interrupted, "allow me," she requested, raising her glass. "To the next CEO of Grant Enterprises."

"And to the woman without whom none of this would be possible," he finished, lightly clinking his glass against hers. Olivia tilted her glass to her lips and took a sip, giggling softly when the effervescence of the champagne bubbles tickled her nose. Fitz released a barely audible sigh of relief. He was worried that he'd derailed the weekend before it even began with his earlier monologue. He meant every word he said, she deserved better than Jake, but it wasn't his place to try to convince her of that. He was her boss and she'd been clear over the years that she wasn't interested in more. For her, this weekend was strictly business and the parts of herself that she'd revealed had been to further the ruse, not a weakening of her commitment to her husband.

"A penny for your thoughts," Olivia whispered, pulling Fitz from his thoughts. Before he could respond, an attractive thirty-something Hispanic male approached the table.

"Fitz!" the man called, patting Fitz on the back

"J.C.," Fitz replied, rising from the table and embracing the man.

"It's been too long my friend. What are you doing here in the middle of the day and drinking champagne no less? I thought you fancy executives worked twelve hour days."

"Have you ever known me to be all work and no play? I may not be a millennial like you, but I appreciate the importance of work-life balance."

"If not work, what's been keeping you so busy that I haven't seen you in six months?"

Right on cue, Olivia cleared her throat, reminding Fitz of her presence, causing both men to turn in her direction. Juan Carlos stared at Olivia in disbelief. Most of Fitz's conquests were the blond haired, blue-eyed plastic, Barbie doll types, more "American" than Juan Carlos preferred. But the woman seated with Fitz was almost the complete opposite of his usual style and he struggled to tear his eyes away from her. "Olivia…." Fitz paused, uncertain if he should introduce her by maiden or married name. Understanding Fitz's dilemma, Olivia nodded her head ever so slightly, giving him permission to use her maiden name. "Olivia Pope I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, and the best chef in Miami, Juan Carlos Ramirez."

"You must be the reason why Fitz has begged off the last five poker nights. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," he said taking her hand and raising it to his lips.

Olivia felt the familiar sensation of heat rushing to her face. "Guilty as charged," she replied, removing her hand from Juan Carlos's grasp and cuddling into Fitz's side. Fitz took the hint and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Although, in my defense, he never mentioned he was supposed to be playing poker. What's the game? Texas Hold 'Em? Five Card Draw? Seven Card Stud?"

"You play poker?"

"I'm a woman of many talents," she countered, winking at Fitz.

"Fitz is overdue to host. You should host the next game at his condo. Show off some of your many talents," he quipped.

Fitz was impressed with the way Olivia was handling herself with J.C. She was charming, witty, and just the right amount of flirty. He'd never really doubted her, but watching the two of them together, he was reassured that she would be the perfect companion this weekend. Interrupting their banter, Fitz interjected, "I thought the first rule of poker night was no significant others."

"You're absolutely correct. That's why I invited Olivia to host at your condo and didn't invite you."

Olivia turned to Fitz laughing, "I'm sure you could find something to do to entertain yourself for a couple of hours."

"I can't believe it," Fitz pouted, "I just got kicked out of my poker game at my condo. Fair warning J.C., Olivia can't boil an egg. The boys will starve."

"Hey, mister," Olivia exclaimed, playfully punching Fitz in the arm. "You've never complained about my cooking before."

"That's because I'm a huge fan of your other talents."

"You're lucky you're cute," she replied, turning in his arms to face him. Without warning, she reached her free arm around his neck, burying her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, and pulled his face toward her. If Olivia's actions caught Fitz unaware, there was no external sign as he willingly leaned forward. Olivia felt his breath ghost across her face as his nose grazed hers. Before she had too much time to think about it, his lips carefully landed on hers and he kissed her gently. Before either one of them could lose control, he pulled away from the kiss, leaving Olivia wanting, the sound of her own rapid pulse rushing in her ears.

They stared at each other in disbelief, each a little shocked by the kiss and both hungry for more. They were pulled from their haze by the sound of Juan Carlos groaning. "Oh God, please tell me you're not one of _those couples_? I was just starting to like Olivia."

"Who are _those couples_?" Fitz asked defensively.

"You know…the ones so wrapped up in each other that the rest of the world can disappear in an instant."

"You're being dramatic. It was a simple peck."

"I'm being dramatic? You should see yourselves both standing there flushed as if this were your first kiss. How long have you been together?"

"A couple of months," Fitz deflected before Olivia could speak. Feeling slightly embarrassed, Olivia pulled away from Fitz and returned to her seat.

Juan Carlos whipped around to face her. "Whoa…I didn't mean to chase you away pretty lady. I'm just not used to Fitz being so open with his feelings or his affection. He's typically more reserved in public. I've never seen him this free. He's different with you and that's a good thing. I think you may be bery good for him. Let me make it up to you?"

"Are you really going to let me come to poker night?"

Juan Carlos laughed. "Maybe, if Fitz blesses it, but that's not what I had in mind. Have you ordered?"

Olivia frowned in confusion. "No."

"Excellent! Let me prepare a special meal for the two of you. My way of apologizing for before."

"J.C., you don't have to do that. I just wanted to you meet Olivia. I didn't, I don't expect you to cook for us."

"Nonsense! I insist. The two of you would be doing me a favor. I want to try a new four-course menu, but haven't found the right venue. You two are a perfect test case. Olivia, do you have any food allergies."

"Nope," she responded, beaming from all the attention.

"Any dislikes?"

"I'm not a fan of raw oysters and cilantro tastes like soap."

"I can work with that," he said, turning to face Fitz. "And you, sir, any new quirks I should be aware of?"

"None for me." Holding his gaze, Fitz mouthed the words thank you. Juan Carlos nodded his head in acceptance, turning back to Olivia he said, "I'll have the waiter send over another bottle of champagne and give you two lovebirds some space." With that, he hurried away from the table.

After Juan Carlos left, Olivia spoke up. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For kissing you like that in public. I shouldn't have done that. I won't do it again." Olivia wasn't sure why she kissed him. It should have been awkward, forced, two friends pretending to be more, but it wasn't. Kissing him felt natural and she felt bad for enjoying it. She had allowed herself to get caught up in the moment of meeting his friend while pretending to be his girlfriend and it just happened. Hadn't Jake warned her that this would be the case if she invited temptation in their marriage? She needed to compartmentalize, to separate Fitz's fiancée from Jake's wife. She reminded herself that whatever was happening between she and Fitz wasn't real, it was an act, a charade, to further his professional interests.

"You didn't." The truth was that Fitz wanted to kiss her, it had been all he could think about since she got in the car this morning. Hell, who was he kidding? He'd wanted to kiss her since the moment they shared in his office yesterday. Somehow he'd resisted, reasoning with himself that he was her boss and that kissing her would not only be inappropriate, but it would most likely chase her away. Beyond this weekend, he needed her in his life and was wasn't willing to risk that for a fleeting moment. But, the moment wasn't passing and, now that he'd kissed her, he couldn't believe how badly he wanted to explore the rest of this tiny woman.

"What?"

"You didn't kiss me. I kissed you. I told you I would follow your lead and I did. Honestly, I was a little worried that I'd misread your signal and that you'd slap me. I'm not uncomfortable kissing you in public…"

Olivia furrowed her brow and crinkled her nose. "But, Juan Carlos just said…"

Fuck, Fitz cursed to himself as he fought his urge to lean across the table and kiss her nose. Is there anything she does that's not completely adorable. Focusing on her words, he offered, "I know what he said. I'm typically not a fan of PDA. I hate being the prop while the woman I'm with performs for an audience of her friends or strangers. I'm not a tree for women to piss on to mark their territory."

"Well…it kind of was a performance…"

"That's different. We're both performing, trying to sell ourselves as a couple. It's not just you being obnoxious to make others jealous. Like you said, I'm not a coveted prize to be won at the state fair," he said, winking at her. "Relax and enjoy the moment Livvie. You're about to be wowed by the finest chef in the state."

 **A/N: Well…well…well…Fitz is starting to chip away at Olivia's boundaries, while she battles to keep them firm. Will they be able to convince themselves the kiss was just part of the act and not an indication of the yearning they are both feeling? Will they be able to pretend for five more days without things becoming real? Will Olivia cheat on Jake? I'm not sure I have all the answers yet, but I'm along for the ride. Are you?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I hope you survived a Scandal-less Thursday. I have to admit my little heart is hurt by how many of you say you are no longer watching the show. I'm really enjoying Season 6. I would enjoy it more if Olitz would get their act together, but I understand it's a process and am enjoying the story that Shonda is telling. There is only one possible way the story ends and I am okay with her taking her time to get there. Enough of my blabbing…I hope you enjoy!**

"Relax and enjoy the moment Livvie. You're about to be wowed by the finest chef in the state."

"Juan Carlos seems like a good friend. How did you meet him?"

"I dated his sister."

"Oh," Olivia replied.

Fitz thought he detected disappointment in Olivia's voice, but dismissed it. Why would she care that he used to date his friend's sister? He decided to continue the conversation and see where she took things. "It was shortly after graduate school. It only lasted six months, but she let me keep J.C. in the break up. Turns out we were a much better match than his sister and I."

"Do you still see her?"

Fitz nodded his head. He wasn't making things up. She was definitely bothered by his ex still being in his life. "Occasionally, mostly at family functions like J.C.'s birthday or holiday celebrations."

"It's nice that you were able to maintain your friendship with both of them."

Fitz couldn't tell if she was jealous or just making conversation. He suspected the former, but the latter was far more plausible. "It helps that she's happily married to a former defensive lineman for the Dolphins and they have three beautiful daughters."

Fitz watched as Olivia's shoulders visibly relaxed and she leaned back in her chair. Was it the conversation making her tense or the environment? Before Fitz could probe further he heard footsteps approaching the table. He looked up and was surprised to see Juan Carlos approaching the table.

"This is taking it too far my friend. First, you offer to cook for us and now you're serving us too. Where's our waiter?"

Juan Carlos laughed as he placed two plates on the table between Fitz and Olivia. "Relax, I told him I'd take care of your table. How am I going to know if you like the food if I don't watch you taste it? We've been friends for too long for me to trust what you tell me. I need to see your face. Your face never lies, it's why you're a terrible poker player."

Olivia laughed freely. "I'm sorry babe, but he's right. Your face gives you away every time."

"If that's true, what am I thinking now?"

"You're thinking that Olivia would be much happier with me and that we should run away and make dozens of beautiful babies together." Fitz forced a smile, but both Juan Carlos and Olivia noticed that his right hand was now clenched into a fist. "Relax buddy," Juan Carlos instructed, swatting at Fitz's clenched fist, "I was just kidding. I'm not trying to take your girl and, judging by the horrified look on her face, she wouldn't go if I tried."

Olivia reached across the table in search of Fitz's hand. He lifted her hand to his face, his eyes never leaving hers, and gently brushed his lips across her fingers. Burning from the intensity of his gaze, Olivia averted his eyes from Fitz to Juan Carlos. Eager to lighten the mood, Olivia asked, "What did you bring us?"

"This is shrimp and grits with andouille sausage, bacon, peppers and onions served in a phyllo tart shell."

Olivia crinkled her nose with uncertainty. "Shrimp and grits? Together?"

Fitz laughed at Olivia's reaction. "The lovely lady is obviously not a southerner. Where are you from?" Juan Carlos asked.

"I'm from Boston."

"Boston, really? I would have guessed D.C. You don't sound like you're from Boston."

"Why, because I don't sound like this – pahk your cah in the Hahvahd yahd?" Olivia said in her thickest Boston accent. "My mother was an English professor and is currently rolling over in her grave that her baby is at the Indian Creek Country Club talking like a Southie."

Fitz squeezed Olivia's hand tightly. There was so much he wanted to say, he wanted to comfort her or offer his condolences, but couldn't because Juan Carlos was there and any decent boyfriend of longer than a month would know that his girlfriend's mother was dead.

"Your mother died? I'm sorry," Juan Carlos offered.

"Thank you. It was a long time ago. Now, are we going to talk or are we going to eat?"

"Please," Juan Carlos replied, gesturing at the appetizer, "dig in."

Fitz and Juan Carlos watched as Olivia tentatively held up a tart and took a small bite. The flavors were so rich and diverse she couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Beaming, she looked at Juan Carlos and, in her best Boston accent, said, "That is wicked pissah!"

Fitz and Juan Carlos laughed in unison. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a terrible thing."

"It's the highest praise a girl from Boston can offer. Fitz, you've got to taste this," she said, holding up her tart for him to bite. Fitz hesitated, he didn't normally allow women to feed him, but then he leaned forward, his lips parted, and swept the morsel she offered into his mouth with his tongue, his lips brushing against her fingertips as they closed. Olivia felt a small tremor race through her body when his lips made contact with her skin. What the hell was that? Why is the feel of his lips against my skin so electric?

"Olivia's right, that's delicious." Fitz's words pulled Olivia from her trance and she turned to look at Juan Carlos, slightly embarrassed that he had to witness their intimacy. "What's the second plate?"

"This is tuna ceviche with a little red onion, lime juice, and avocado served on a bed of spinach. I would normally include chopped cilantro, but I left that off so as not to ruin the dish for Olivia."

Fitz nodded to Olivia inviting her to taste first. She deferred, "You first this time."

"Are you worried you don't know which fork to use?"

Juan Carlos looked at Olivia with mild alarm. "Ignore him; he thinks he's being clever. It's an inside joke that's only funny to him." Turning to Fitz, she asked, "Are you going to eat or are you scared?"

"There is nothing to be afraid of, I trust J.C. implicitly." Fitz picked up his cocktail fork, grinning wickedly at Olivia, and sampled the dish. He closed his eyes and let the flavors wash over his tongue. "That's perfection, one of the better ceviches I've had. Almost as good as your mother's. The lime's tanginess and the peppers' bite are a wonderful complement to the fish. Olivia," he said, sliding the plate toward her.

Olivia cautiously sampled from the plate. "That's incredible! If it's only almost as good as your mother's, she must be an amazing cook."

"She is the best cook I know," Juan Carlos explained proudly. "I've been in the kitchen with her since I was four years old. She taught me almost everything I know." Olivia smiled sadly. "You two should come to the next Ramirez family event. I know she would love to meet the woman who finally convinced Fitzgerald Grant to settle down."

Olivia shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but it didn't appear that Juan Carlos noticed. "It would be an honor and a pleasure to join you and your family. Just let Fitz know when and we'll be there."

"It's a date. Now, I will leave the two of you to enjoy the rest of your appetizers while I go check on your salads and entrees."

When Juan Carlos was clear of the table, Fitz asked, "Are you okay?"

Olivia reached for another shrimp and grit tart. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" she questioned, placing the tart in her mouth.

"Your body language was all over the place. You were happy, then I think I detected a bit of sadness, and finally some anxiety or discomfort."

"Do you always pay such close attention to your lunch guests?"

"I do when I care about the person on the other side of the table." Once again, Olivia shifted slightly in her chair. "You're doing it again. I'm clearly making you uncomfortable. Talk to me Liv. Tell me what's wrong. I can't fix it if you don't talk to me."

"Nothing's wrong."

"Liv," he implored.

"It's just…I think we're losing sight of what this is?"

"This? Us?"

"Yes," she replied softly.

"Is this because of what J.C. said? Liv, I don't expect you to attend his family dinner. I am incredibly grateful that you agreed to join me for this weekend. I wouldn't impose on you further. If J.C. invites you to dinner, I'll make something up or tell him that we broke up. Either way, after today, you'll never have to see him again." Olivia released an audible sigh, but didn't fully relax. "There's something else, isn't there?"

"Yes."

"What?" Fitz asked, his frustration evident in his voice.

"I don't mean to be difficult."

"You're not being difficult, but I need you to talk to me. I can't read your mind."

Refusing to make eye contact, she stated, "You can't say things like you care about me when no one's listening. It's not true and it's not fair to me."

"What do you mean it's not true? Livvie, look at me." Fitz paused and waited for Olivia to make eye contact. Slowly she raised her eyes from the table to his eyes. "Just because you're married doesn't mean I don't care about you. I care deeply about your happiness even though I'm not the one that makes you happy. I care a lot about you as an employee, a person, and hopefully a friend. I don't see how we could pretend to be lovers for a weekend and not walk away friends. I wasn't exaggerating when I said I need you in my life. I wouldn't do anything, including making you feel uncomfortable, to jeopardize what we have."

Olivia looked at him with tears glistening in her eyes. "I feel so foolish."

"Don't, you live an honest life. I envy you that. You're not used to this, pretending to feel something that you don't. For me, in my relationships, pretending is what's real." Pretending had indeed become what's real for him. He pretended he didn't need love or companionship. He pretended the only needs he had were ones that could be fulfilled by short-term meaningless relationships, one night encounters or sex with strippers and escorts. For years, he pretended his bachelorhood was a brave choice instead of a cowardly one. He pretended professional achievement and his trust fund were all he needed to keep him warm at night. But, sitting here across from Olivia, he wondered if this was what it felt like not to pretend. For the first time in more than a decade, he allowed himself to wonder what it would be like to have more, to have her. Jake may not have Fitz's wealth or professional success, but he had Olivia and Fitz was starting to envy him for it.

Pretending is what's real. Those words rang in Olivia's ears. Is that what she was doing here, now, with him? Pretending that she could love a man other than her husband. Pretending that she found Fitz charming. Pretending to be the enchanted girlfriend for his friend and the restaurant full of socialites. Pretending that this, what was happening between them, was real and not some elaborate ruse to further both of their professional interests. Or, was it just the opposite? Was she pretending that she was impervious to his charm? Pretending that the butterflies she felt when he looked at her weren't real. Pretending that is wasn't desire that set her skin on fire when he touched her, kissed her. Pretending that her marriage was solid. Pretending that nothing, not even the charming and talented Fitzgerald Grant, could come between Jake and herself. If she was so happy at home, why was she here with him? Was it really for the money and promotion or was she just pretending it was?

Fitz and Olivia were both pulled from their thoughts when their server approached the table carrying their salads. "Chef Ramirez sends his apologies for not bringing out your salads personally. He wanted me to assure you that he will return with your entrées."

"Please tell Juan Carlos that he doesn't need to fuss over us. He has already gone above and beyond with this personalized meal."

"Speaking of personalized," he said, placing the salads on the table in front of Fitz and Olivia, "these are Chef Ramirez's signature chopped salad with twenty-one different kinds of herbs and vegetables. Can I bring either of you anything else?

"No, thank you, everything is perfect," Olivia replied.

"I hope you enjoy!" With that, the server retreated from the table.

"The salad fork is the one to the far left," he teased, winking at her.

"Asshole! If I didn't feel like everyone in this restaurant was staring at us, I'd fling a carrot in your direction."

Fitz laughed. "You're a feisty little thing," Fitz said aloud and added - and I find it incredibly sexy – in his head.

"If by feisty you mean independent, self-sufficient, intelligent woman; I'll agree. Did you plan this?" Olivia asked suspiciously.

"What? J.C. cooking for us? No, that was all you sweetheart. I asked if he was here because I thought it would help you relax if I introduced you to a friendly face. You saw how he was dressed. It was professional, but not what he was wearing when he brought out the appetizers. At best, I thought he would make a recommendation about what we should order and make sure the chef took good care of us. I never expected him to cook for us."

"He's cooked for you before? Right?"

"Of course, but never like this." Olivia shot him a quizzical look. "When he was first starting out, I would hire him occasionally to cook for private dinners or special events, but he's been far too busy for that type of private gig for a couple years now."

"But he's cooked for you here?"

"Yes, but only in his official capacity. I always ask to see him when I'm here and sometimes he's the chef and sometimes he's not, but I would never ask nor would I expect him to offer to prepare a special meal for me."

"What's different this time?"

"You."

Once again, Olivia's face flushed with heat. Damn it, she scolded herself. I have to stop responding to him this way. He doesn't intend for his words to be received the way I'm reacting to them. "You flatter me, but, seriously, stop deflecting."

"It wasn't flattery and I'm not deflecting. I'm telling you the truth. The difference between today and other days is that today you are my guest and he assumed my girlfriend. After the introduction, you mostly drove the dynamic between the three of us. I'm not surprised he offered to cook for us. You're rather infectious, you get under people's skin in a good way. It's why I asked you to join me this weekend, why I played hooky from work to spend the day with you, and why J.C. is in the kitchen preparing you the best meal you've ever had."

"I don't know how I feel about being called infectious. Makes me think of a disease."

"It's a compliment, accept it and smile."

Olivia's face suddenly lit up with excitement. Fitz wanted to believe that she was accepting his advice, but knew it was far more likely that J.C. was approaching their table with their entrées. Fitz turned around and saw J.C. and several servers headed in their direction. The first quickly cleared their used dishes and made way for the chef.

"Sorry I wasn't here to watch you taste the salads. I trust you enjoyed."

"We did, thank you. Not only was the presentation beautiful, but the combination of fresh flavors and textures were unique and quite satisfying," Olivia responded.

"Excellent! Now on to the main course. I was delayed in the kitchen because I totally scrapped my entrée plans. My original plans were to wow you with my culinary skills, but ultimately I decided to give the lady a taste of home." Juan Carlos signaled to their waiver to serve Olivia's meal. "For you, my new favorite Boston transplant, may I present a breaded cod stuffed with Muenster cheese, a side of lobster macaroni and cheese, and pan-roasted asparagus with roasted pepper, honey, and sherry vinegar."

Olivia squealed with delight. "It looks delicious. It's been a long time since I've eaten like this. You've combined my favorites from several different restaurants. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, you haven't tasted it yet. I hope I did your city proud." Juan Carlos nodded to the other server, indicating that he was ready to serve Fitz. "For you, because I didn't want you to be jealous, I prepared a breaded flounder with wild mushrooms, shrimp, crab, and hollandaise sauce. You'll have to beg Olivia to share her lobster macaroni and cheese because, in my opinion, it the most delicious thing on your table. Please, eat, I'm dying to know what you think."

Olivia nodded to Fitz for him to sample his food first. Fitz used his fork to cut off a healthy sample of the fish and tasted it, taking his time to enjoy the flavors. "This is truly decadent. The fish is mild and tender. The breading is the perfect complement to the richness of the fish. It's among the best fish entrées I've had anywhere and definitely deserves a place on your menu. This will quickly become your most requested dish."

"That's high praise. Thank you." Juan Carlos turned to Olivia, "Your turn."

Olivia used her fork to scoop up a generous portion of the lobster macaroni and cheese and tasted it. When the flavor hit her tongue, her eyes rolled back in her head and she released a quiet moan. After a moment, she turned to Juan Carlos and said, "I think I just had my first food orgasm. That is amazing and easily rivals anything I've had in Boston. You are officially my favorite of all of Fitz's friends."

Juan Carlos laughed heartily at Olivia's reaction and compliment. "That is the highest praise I could possibly hope for. I'm so glad I was able to meet your lofty expectations. Unless there is anything else you need, I'm going to return to the kitchen and ponder what to serve for dessert. Bon appétit!" As suddenly as they arrived Juan Carlos and the servers disappeared from the table.  
"Watching you sample your meal was perhaps the more erotic thing I've witnessed between two fully clothed adults. Are you going to let me taste it?" Olivia pushed her plate toward Fitz. "What? You're not going to feed it to me?"  
"I didn't think you liked it when I fed you. You hesitated when I offered you the tart."  
"That was before I learned how sensual it can be to taste food from your fingertips. I can only imagine how sweet it would be to dine from your fork."  
"Fitz," Olivia growled in warning.

"What?" he asked innocently. "Can we just agree to relax and enjoy ourselves? For today, let's just be Fitz Grant and Olivia Pope, a newly engaged and ridiculously in love couple. I promise to respect your boundaries."

Olivia paused to consider his proposal. What was the harm in giving in fully to the moment? They were in the middle of a crowded restaurant, there was only so far they could push each other in this public space. Olivia scooped another helping of the macaroni and cheese onto her fork and beckoned Fitz seductively with her index finger. Fitz leaned forward, parted his lips, and closed his eyes. Olivia extended her arm and tenderly fed him from his fork. Fitz released a low growl that sent a shiver down Olivia's spine. "Fuck that is good. J.C. was right, that's far superior to my meal and my meal is among the best I've had anywhere. Why didn't he serve that to both of us?"

"It's because he likes me more than he likes you. I'm infectious, remember," she teased.

Fitz smiled at the return of playful Olivia. "I think it's because you're the most charming and beautiful woman I've ever dated."

"Flattery will get you nowhere Fitzgerald."

"I only speak the truth. One day I hope you can see the woman you've let me see today."

They quickly fell into the routine of old lovers, thoroughly enjoying their meal while they took turns teasing and feeding each other. When Juan Carlos returned to their table to check on them, they delighted in torturing him with their adorable and mildly obnoxious interactions. Juan Carlos was reluctant to admit it, but he was rather fond of Olivia, much more so than any of Fitz's previous girlfriends. Fitz used to declare himself a bachelor for life, but he was clearly smitten and Juan Carlos suspected that Fitz was falling quite hard for the lovely Olivia. He was very happy for his friend and made a note to get Fitz alone so he could express all of this to his friend.

After dessert was served, Olivia noticed one of the other patrons waiving their server over to their table. Olivia shot him a devilish grin. "Hope you're ready to pay up mister, I just won."

"What do you mean you just won?"

"Do you see that woman over there talking to our server?"

Fitz discretely turned around in his chair so that he could see the person Olivia was talking about. "Yes, that's Kaitlyn Jordan, what about her?"

"She's asking our waiter about me, about us."

"What? How do you know? Maybe she needs another glass of wine."

"He's not her server. That conversation is definitely about us."

"How are you going to prove it?"

"Easy, in a couple of minutes I'm going to excuse myself and go to the restroom. If she's the kind of woman I think she is, she will follow me. She will time it just right so that we are washing our hands at the same time, where she will casually ask me how I know you."

"Why would she do that?"

"Simple, it's an opportunity for her to get a closer look at me and I'm sure she'll try to chase me away by dropping hints about your playboy ways."

"Why would she do that? Our parents socialize, but we don't. Kaitlyn doesn't really know me."

"Have you slept with her?"

"What? No! Believe it or not, I haven't slept with every woman in Miami."

"Maybe she's not chasing me away for herself. Maybe one of her friends wants to be the next woman warming your sheets. Either way, we're about to find out if I'm right. I hope you have a worthy prize. What do you what me to tell her when she asks about our relationship?"

"I don't care."

"Come on, Fitz, be serious. How do you want me to answer the question?"

"I am being serious. I don't care what you say as long as you don't tell her the truth."

"How can you not care? You said earlier that this room is full of Miami's biggest gossips. Whatever I say to her will be spread throughout your world. What if Mellie hears the rumors? You need to control the narrative here."

"Fuck, Mellie. She left. I don't care what she thinks," Fitz responded bitterly.

Olivia looked at Fitz like he'd grown a second head. "She left because she caught you in bed with someone else."

"She knew what she was getting when she agreed to marry me." Olivia stared at Fitz in disbelief. "Don't look at me like I'm some monster. My relationship with Mellie was an arrangement that benefitted her far more than it did me. I needed to portray an image of a settled family man for the Board and she agreed to help me do that. Trust me, she's not somewhere nursing a broken heart. Our engagement was never about love, it was always a business arrangement."

"Is that how you view relationships, as a business arrangements?" Olivia asked solemnly.

"Of course not." Fitz reached across the table, his open palm an invitation. Olivia alternated between staring at his face and his empty hand, uncertain how she wanted to proceed. "Livvie, please," he quietly implored her to trust him. Olivia hesitantly placed her hand in his and he quickly entangled their fingers. "It is my fervent desire to find the woman I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with. One that I will love more than I ever thought possible. A woman that challenges me every day to be a better man than I was the day before. A woman whose strengths complement my weaknesses. One that both my mother and my friends love and that will love them in return. A woman that never has to worry that she'll find me in bed with a wine angel because she knows and trusts that after being with her I could never share myself with another woman. Mellie was never that woman and neither of us ever pretended she was."

"That makes me sad."

Fitz chuckled at her comment. "Don't be, we both know I've been thoroughly enjoying my bachelorhood, perhaps a little too much. Plus, if I'm being honest, I'm happy Mellie left when she did, before things went too far. If Mellie hadn't stormed out Sunday night I wouldn't be sitting here with you."

"Fitz…" she said, her voice straining to contain the emotion that threatened to erupt.

Fitz flashed her a lopsided grin. "Hear me out. I know this relationship is just as fake as my relationship with Mellie. The difference is I actually enjoy spending time with you and getting to know you better. I have had more fun with you today than I've had in years. So, are you going to the bathroom so you can fail miserably?"

"We both know I won the moment you introduced me to Juan Carlos. You have the full attention of every woman in this restaurant. They all want to sleep with you. It must be nice to be you."

"They would argue it's better to be you. You have the full attention of every man in this restaurant, the chef is fawning all over you, and you are dating one of Miami's most eligible bachelors. If you ask me, it's much nicer to be you. Are you going to kiss me goodbye before you leave?"

Olivia smiled, leaned across the table and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Happy?" She winked at him, excused herself, and headed in the direction of the restroom adding a little extra sway in her hips for his benefit. She couldn't hide the smile that spread across her face when she hear the scrapping of a chair leg against the floor shortly after she passed by Kaitlyn's table.

Olivia entered the bathroom and headed directly for one of the stalls to collect her thoughts. She was rattled by Fitz's comments on love and relationships and still hadn't decided what she was going to say to Kaitlyn. As Olivia stood there in the stall waiting for Kaitlyn, she began to feel foolish. Maybe Kaitlyn wasn't following her into the bathroom. Maybe the movement she heard was Kaitlyn and her guest leaving the restaurant. Olivia was just about to give up when she heard the bathroom door open. Olivia took a couple of deep breaths, ran her fingers through hair, threw her shoulders back, and confidently exited the stall.

Olivia approached the sinks and observed Kaitlyn's reflection in the mirror. She was a strikingly attractive woman in her early forties, with olive skin, dark hair and eyes, standing at the counter refreshing her makeup. Olivia felt Kaitlyn's eyes staring at her in the mirror, taking in every small detail. Pretending to ignore her, Olivia turned on the water and deposited a dollop of soap in her palm. Olivia took her time washing her hands, feeling Kaitlyn's eyes on her the entire time. It wasn't until Olivia moved to dry her hands that the woman finally spoke. "I couldn't help but notice Chef Ramirez at your table. It appeared the two of you were having special meal. Are you and Fitzgerald celebrating something?"

Olivia worked to suppress the arrogant smirk that threatened to spread across her lips. There was something about the other woman's tone that simultaneously unsettled her and made her want to crush her. "Isn't Juan Carlos fabulous? He just prepared the most amazing meal I've ever had. Fitz is lucky to have such a talented friend. How do you know Fitz?"

"Fitz and I have been friends since high school. I don't imagine he can say he knows most of the women he dates longer than two weeks. It's unusual for him to be out with someone so early in the day. What's the special occasion?"

Olivia delighted in Kaitlyn's snarky tone. This woman was definitely not pleased that Olivia was with Fitz, but it didn't appear her discontent had anything to do with Mellie. "It's too soon to talk about. We haven't even had a chance to tell his parents. I'm not sure Fitz is ready to share the good news."

Kaitlyn glanced down at Olivia's now bare left ring finger. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I can keep a secret. Plus, you're here celebrating today. He obviously doesn't' intend to keep it a secret for long."

Olivia doubted that Kaitlyn would hold whatever Olivia told her longer than it took to get back to her table. "Why don't you come back to our table and join us for a drink? I'm sure Fitz would love to see you and then we can tell you why we're celebrating together."

"I couldn't possibly impose."

"I insist. It's no imposition, plus I'd love to get to know another one of Fitz's friends. It's settled, you're joining us."

Fitz heard a familiar clatter of heels on the floor and knew that Olivia was returning from bathroom. He looked up to find her smiling triumphantly, Kaitlyn in tow. When Olivia approached the table, she leaned over and whispered, "Pay up, mister," in his ear before kissing him on the cheek. "Babe," she said loud enough for Kaitlyn to hear, "look at who I ran into in the bathroom. I insisted that she join us for a drink."

Fitz shot Olivia daggers before signaling to the waiter to bring an extra chair and champagne flute. When Kaitlyn was settled and served, Olivia started the conversation. "Kaitlyn noticed us talking to Juan Carlos and asked what we were celebrating." Ignoring Kaitlyn's obvious discomfort, Olivia pressed on, "She would be the first person we told so I wanted us do it together."

Fitz stared at Olivia, delighting in her amusement at Kaitlyn's discomfort. He reached across the table and held Olivia's hand. "Well, I was hoping we could keep it between us for a couple of days, but what the hell. Olivia's made me the happiest man in the world by agreeing to marry me."

Kaitlyn choked on her champagne, inhaling the bubbly liquid, which resulted in a coughing fit. "Oh dear," Olivia exclaimed with false compassion, "Fitz, help her."

Fitz patted Kaitlyn roughly on her back, starting to enjoy the moment as much as Olivia. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she sputtered, "but you really must excuse me." Kaitlyn took three steps away from the table before turning and saying. "Congratulations, I'm very happy for both of you."

"Thank you. I'm sorry you have to leave so soon. I was hoping to get to know you better," Olivia replied. "Bitch!" Olivia mumbled under her breath loud enough for Fitz to hear.

When Kaitlyn cleared the area, Juan Carlos returned. "What the hell was that about?"

"Kaitlyn was curious about all the attention you were giving our table and accidentally on purpose bumped into me in the bathroom. The bitch implied that I was a one night stand and questioned why Fitz and I were out during daylight hours".

"The little devil across from me invited her back to our table to torture her. It was well deserved and I couldn't help but join in so I told her that Olivia and I were engaged and she choked on her champagne." Fitz and Juan Carlos doubled over with laughter.

"Serves her right. She's such a nosy gossip. The woman needs a job. She has too much time on her hands."

"Well, my friend," Fitz said rising from the table and embracing Juan Carlos. "Olivia and I have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, but we have another appointment we must get to. Please charge me whatever you like and have them add a generous tip for our waiter to my account."

Juan Carlos feigned injury. "You insult me. I wouldn't dare charge you for being my guinea pigs. I am pleased that you enjoyed the meal." Turning to Olivia, he said, "It was a pleasure meeting you. My friend is a very lucky man and you should never let him forget it. Please come back anytime and ask for me."

"The pleasure was all mine," Olivia said, opening her arms to embrace Juan Carlos. "Everything was delicious. I hope to see you soon and it would be even more enjoyable if you're not working."

Fitz and Olivia stood in front of the club waiting for Brian to arrive with the car. "That was very kind what you said to J.C.."

"Maybe, but it was also true. In another lifetime I think the three of us would be good friends." Before she could expound any further, Brian arrived with the car. Fitz opened the door and helpful Olivia into the car.

When they were both settled, Brian asked, "Where to sir?"

"Brian, please take us to thirty-six northeast First Street."

"Sure thing." Brian smoothly eased the car away from the curb and merged into traffic.

"Where are we going?" Olivia asked.

"It's a surprise."

"How about a hint?"

"You should google the definition of surprise. The whole point is that you don't know where we're going and you are shocked and delighted when you find out."

"I hate surprises."

"What is there to hate about surprises?"

"It's too much pressure."

"Pressure? For you? I can understand the pressure on the surpriser to plan something that the surprisee wants and will enjoy, but what's the pressure on the surprisee?"

"The pressure to enjoy the surprise and react the way the surpriser expects you to. Not all surprises, even ones that are well thought out, are good surprises. You're standing beside this person who's super excited because he believes he planned the perfect thing that's just going to wow you. But what happens if you're not wowed? It's rude not to be excited and happy after all the effort he's put into surprising you. So, you have to pretend. You have to smile, squeal, maybe even cry to protect his precious ego. I hate having to pretend that I'm happy when I'm not, but I don't' want to be an asshole, so I pretend. And that's why I hate surprises. It's so much easier for me to know I'm going to be disappointed up front so I can prepare myself to pretend to be excited."

"Does that really happen? Have you really had a surprise you hated?"

"Absolutely! I'm sure all women have. For our first wedding anniversary Jake bought me a vacuum, it was very nice and very expensive, but it was still a vacuum."

Fitz howled with laughter. "Did he really buy you a fucking vacuum?"

"He did. He was a terrible gift giver for the first several years of our marriage. He's still not the best, but now he mostly just buys what I tell him I want. It's not exciting or surprising, but at least I know I won't be disappointed."

Dropping his voice an octave, he asked, "Have I ever disappointed you?"

Fitz's tone caused a shiver to race through Olivia's body. "Not yet. I was suspicious of your lunch plans, but that turned out fabulously. Juan Carlos is delightful and it was hands down the best meal I've ever had. It made me a little homesick."

"You see…good things happen when you trust me."

"That may be a bit of an overstatement. It's only been two days and you've already shown me some of you best stuff. I know because I'm usually your little elf, helping you woo the latest woman to hold your attention."

"You haven't even scratched the surface of my best stuff. I know how to spoil a woman and I know it doesn't involve gifts with batteries or electrical cords."

Without warning, the driver suddenly swerved, causing Olivia's small body to collide with Fitz. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her, pulling her even closer to him. Olivia looked up at him, her chocolate brown orbs wide with shock and surprise. "I'm sorry," she offered, making no attempt to escape his embrace. Fitz marveled at how good it felt to have her in his arms, her tiny frame fitting perfectly into the contours of his much larger frame.

"Are you okay?" he asked, allowing his eyes to freely roam over her body.

Olivia's skin flushed with heat from the intensity of Fitz's gaze as he unabashedly admired every inch of her. Olivia shuddered in his arms, her body tingling with arousal, the tension in the car making it difficult for her to breathe. She giggled softly, still tipsy from the champagne at lunch, when she noticed he was staring at her lips. "You want to kiss me," she boldly stated. "You want to kiss me for real. Here, where no one can see us, where there's no reason for us to pretend. You want to kiss me for you."

Their unexpected proximity overwhelmed Fitz as her presence assaulted his senses. The sound of her giggles rang in his ears, the sweet scent of her body wash and perfume filled his nostrils, the silky smooth skin of her exposed thigh warming his hand, and the sight of her dilated pupils and chest heaving with ragged breaths, giveaways of her arousal. He yearned to slide his tongue into her mouth, to taste her, kiss her, and explore her. "Do you want me to me kiss you?" he asked, his baritone desperate and raspy.

The thought of his lips pressed against hers threatened to dissolve her restraint and allow her to give into her desire. Instead of pushing away from him, she leaned forward, inviting him to kiss her. "I'm married," she whispered, her warm breath ghosting across his lips.

"I know," he replied, using every ounce of willpower he could muster to remain perfectly still. He understood her response. Her mind was battling with her body. She was married, off-limits to him. Yet, here she was, her body pressed again his, practically begging him to kiss her. Nevertheless, he wouldn't. As badly as he wanted her in that moment, he knew it had to be her decision. He would rather nothing happen than risk losing her to regret and guilt.

Olivia was frozen in place, torn between leaning forward to capture his lips with hers and pushing away from him, retreating to safety on her side of the car. As much as she wanted to give into her feelings, she couldn't be the one to initiate contact and she knew he wouldn't. It was the only rule of the day, she could do anything she wanted, but he wouldn't initiate contact. Unable to think with him so close, she offered the first excuse that came to mind, "I work for you."

"I know."

"I can't," she said, the longing evident in her voice even as she was pulling away.

Fitz, smiling at her warmly, reached out and gently caressed her cheek. "I don't want you to."

Oliva returned to her side of the car, taking a moment to collect herself. How did the day turn from harmless, friendly flirting to this? She was happily married, she shouldn't be lusting for another man, much less her boss. Did she want to blow up her entire life? Because that is exactly what giving into whatever this feeling was would do. It would ruin her marriage and her professional relationship with Fitz. Was one kiss worth all that? All of the fighting with Jake had allowed Fitz to get in her head. She desperately needed some space from him and to reconnect with her husband. The problem was she wasn't going to get that. She and Fitz were scheduled to leave for Martha's Vineyard tomorrow afternoon. Did that give her enough time to work things through with Jake? She wasn't sure, but knew it would have to be. She absolutely couldn't get on a plane with Fitz tomorrow feeling the way she felt now.

Fitz studied Olivia closely as her defensive walls were resurrected. He wondered what she was thinking. Did she really want him to kiss her or was that just the champagne talking? Was he right to make it her decision? Did she interpret his inaction as lack of interest or weakness? Was she feeling any of what he felt? Were these feelings real or the result of an alcohol fueled, flirty lunch? He wanted to talk to her, ask her these questions, but how could he engage her without insulting her. She wasn't some whore off the street, she was a beautiful, smart, sexy woman that deserved his respect. How could he ask her what she wanted without accusing her of being a lying whore?

Fitz and Olivia were pulled from their thoughts when Brian announced their arrival. Olivia looked out the window and noticed they were parked outside the Seybold Building. "Fitz, why are we here?"

"Trust me, Livvie," he said as Brian opened the car door. Fitz exited the car and extended his hand back into the vehicle to help Olivia out. "Are you coming?" he asked when she failed to take his hand. Olivia looked at him uncertainly. "Do me a favor, just come in and see what I have planned. If you hate it or you're uncomfortable, we'll leave immediately and I'll have Brian take you anywhere you want to go. You don't ever have to pretend with me," he added, flashing her a lopsided grin.

Olivia took his hand and exited the car. He once again placed his hand on the small of her back, pleased when she didn't flinch, and guided her into the building. He walked her to a nondescript office on the first floor. When they entered the office, a bored-looking receptionist looked up and asked, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," Fitz replied. "We're Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Ballard. We have a two o'clock appointment with Samuel Friedman."

"One moment please," the receptionist instructed, turning to make a phone call. After a moment, she returned her attention to Fitz. She handed him an electronic key card and said, "Use this to access the elevator. His office is on the tenth floor."

"Thank you."

When they returned to the hallway, Olivia suspiciously asked, "What are you up to and when did you make an appointment?"

"I called Samuel while you were in the bathroom at the club. Now, do you want to stand here and talk about how I planned your surprise or do you want to go upstairs and see what it is?"

Olivia hesitated. The Seybold Building was home to some of the finest jewelers in Miami. She knew the basement, first, and second floors were filled with individual shops, but the higher floors were where the private jewelers and dealers resided. She had never been above the second floor and was curious to see how the other half lived. "You haven't disappointed me yet. I'm in, but you have to promise to show some restraint. I have a husband and he's already uncomfortable with your largesse. I don't want more trouble."

"Trouble? Me? I ensure you that you have nothing to worry about." Grabbing her hand, he pulled her in the direction of the elevators. "Let's go. Samuel is waiting."

 **A/N: I'm going to stop there. Well, what do you think? How was lunch? Is Olivia as in control as she thinks she is? Is addressing the problems with Jake the answer to controlling her feelings for Fitz? And, what about Fitz? Should he have kissed Olivia? Is he right to wait? Will he get another opportunity? The next chapter will include Fitz and Jake interacting for the first time. I've already written the scene and am excited about it!**


	7. Chapter 7

Fitz escorted Olivia down a sterile corridor with sequentially marked doors on both sides. He stopped at a door simply marked with a gold number twenty-three. He pressed the buzzer and looked at the camera in the corner above the door. "Fitzgerald Grant and Olivia Ballard. We have a two o'clock appointment."

There was a loud click as the door's electronic locks released. Fitz pushed open the door and led Olivia into a small sally port. A serious looking, armed security guard stood and greeted the couple. "Hello. Mr. Friedman will be right with you. May I please see some identification?"

Fitz, accustomed to the security routine, already had his wallet in his hand and quickly handed the guard his driver's license. Olivia was still searching her purse for her wallet when a small, tanned, fit-looking man in his seventies wearing a polo shirt and khakis opened the door on the opposite side of the sally port. "Tom, why are you harassing our guests? I've known Fitzgerald since he was an infant. I personally smelted the silver for the spoon that was placed in his mouth shortly after he was born." Olivia couldn't stifle her laughter in response to the older man's mocking of Fitz's privileged upbringing. Turning to her, he added, "And any beautiful guest of his is a guest of ours."

Olivia extended her hand. "Funny and charming. Olivia Ballard. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Samuel Friedman. The pleasure is all mine," he said, enthusiastically shaking her hand. Samuel looked at Fitz curiously. When he shook the woman's hand, the jeweler in him couldn't help but notice how petite her fingers were. He didn't know who the woman standing before him was, but she was definitely not Fitz's fiancée. There was no way the engagement ring he designed only months earlier for Fitz fit on her delicate fingers. "Please, follow me," Samuel instructed, leading Fitz and Olivia in a small sitting room. Olivia marveled at how different the interior of the office was from the exterior. The exterior was a cold and sterile gray, but the sitting room was warm and polished, decorated in creams with rich browns and subtle gold accents.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to a baron empire sofa while he settled into one of the matching armchairs. "What can I do for the two of you?"

"Olivia and I are spending the weekend in the Hamptons with Stephen Merkle and his wife."

Samuel furrowed his brow in confusion. He had been the private jeweler for the Grant family for five decades and had designed multiple pieces for Fitz's mothers for the black-tie gala that was the highlight of the weekend with the Merkles. Although he wasn't in the business, he knew, from numerous conversations with Anne, the guest list was restricted to the most influential leaders in the design and construction industry and their spouses. He was surprised to learn Fitz was selected to represent Grant Industries, but was stunned to learn the young woman seated with him would be accompanying him. Who was this woman? "Ah, yes, the infamous black-tie gala. Are you looking to accessorize your gown? Do you have a design in mind, want to browse some of my assembled pieces or do you want me to customize a piece for you?"

Olivia looked to Fitz, uncertain how to respond. She'd never worked with a private jeweler and had no idea what Fitz had in mind. "Actually, I think we will need some of all three. I lost a bet earlier today and, as such, owe this beauty all new jewelry for this trip."

"That must have been some bet. I can only imagine what you would have won," he said, smiling knowingly at Olivia. "Do you have a wish list?"

Olivia said, "No," as Fitz said, "Yes."

"I do?" Olivia asked.

"Yes. You need a watch or two, a string of pearls and matching earrings, diamond studs and something dangly, a couple of necklaces, and a bracelet or two. In terms of jewels, you can never go wrong with diamonds, but, knowing Stacey as I do, I'm sure blue is well represented in your wardrobe. It would be good to sprinkle in some sapphires in as well."

Samuel carefully watched the dynamic between Fitz and Olivia. They didn't appear to be on the same page about their visit, with Fitz obviously leading the way, but at the same time they were completely comfortable with each other. Judging by how freely he was doting on her, this mystery woman had completely charmed the youngest Grant. "Anything else?" Samuel asked.

Olivia said, "No," as Fitz said, "Yes." Samuel chuckled as the two were once again on different pages. "Add anything that holds her attention for longer than five seconds," Fitz instructed.

"Fitz," she hissed.

"Ignore her, Samuel. She can be stubborn at times."

"Very well, let's get started. When do you leave for the Merkles'?"

Fitz looked at Samuel sheepishly. "We leave tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning? Fitzgerald," he scolded, "I'm not a young man. It's been decades since I've pulled an all-nighter. To get everything on your list, I'm going to have to call in my nephew and work with some of the dealers and jewelers in the building."

"I'm very sorry for the short notice and it goes without saying that whatever you need is fine. This whole trip came together rather last minute and Olivia and I have been scrambling to complete all of the to-do items before we leave."

"Please wait here while I call in reinforcements. I'll be right back."

When they were all alone, Olivia turned to Fitz and hissed, "You promised you'd be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable. You need everything on my list," he said, flashing her a wicked grin.

"I don't. I already have some of the things on your list. I keep telling you I'm not really Vivienne. I'm not starting from nothing. I have the basics."

"Maybe, but just like we upgraded your wardrobe, we need to upgrade your jewelry. The pieces won't be ready until the morning, so John won't see them until you get back. You're doing me this huge favor. Please let me spoil you. You're worth it."

Before she could respond, Samuel reentered the room. "Well, my dear, shall we begin? We have a lot of work to do. Please follow me to the showroom."

"I'm ready if you are," Olivia said, rising from the sofa. "I'm a fairly easy woman to please. I promise not to have you here all night."

Samuel laughed warmly. "Are you joining us Fitzgerald?"

"Yes," he replied, rising from the sofa. As he was moving to join the pair, he felt his phone vibrating in his left breast pocket. He left specific instructions at the office that he was not to be interrupted unless there was an emergency. He removed the phone from pocket and smiled at Olivia's lovely face as it flashed on his screen. It was Charlotte calling from Olivia's desk. "It's the office," he explained. "I'm sorry, but I need to take this. You two go ahead and get started. I'll join you when I can."

Olivia looked at him with concern. "Is everything OK? Do you need me to stay?"

"No, you go with Samuel. I'm sure Charlotte and I can handle whatever this is quickly. I'll come get you if I need you."

Olivia stepped forward and kissed Fitz softly on his cheek. "Take as long as you need. Samuel and I will be fine alone." With that, she breezed out of the room following Samuel, leaving only the slight hint of her fragrant perfume in her wake.

Fitz swiped to answer his phone. "What?" he barked in greeting to Charlotte.

Twenty minutes later, Fitz entered the showroom and found Samuel and Olivia looking at diamond cuff bracelets. He approached Olivia quietly, startling her when he wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. "Those are almost as beautiful as you are," he said, kissing her temple. Fitz was surprised, but pleased when Olivia relaxed in his arms, her soft body melding into his hard frame, allowing him to support her weight. He worried their moment in the car would create a lingering tension between the two of them, but that didn't appear to be the case.

Olivia hummed contently at the feel of his muscular arms pulling her close, her head resting on the chiseled plane of his chest. "You have to leave, don't you?"

"How did you know?"

"A phone call from the office on your day off is never a good thing. Whose project is in trouble?"

"Neil's. Michael Goodman is demanding a meeting."

Olivia groaned. Michael Goodman was one of the more difficult developers they worked with, requiring lots of face time with the company's executives. Now that Fitz's father had announced his retirement at the end of the year, these responsibilities had fallen to Fitz as the company's COO. "Can't you send Cyrus?" she whined.

"I could, but we both know that Michael would only demand a meeting with me tomorrow. And...since I'll be in the Hamptons with you tomorrow I need to meet with him today."

"Go, rescue Neil and calm Michael down. Samuel and I will finish up here and I will uber home."

"Don't be ridiculous. I will ask Brian to come up and wait with you. I'll uber to the meeting. When you're finished he'll take you home and pick me up from the job site."

"You can't take an Uber to a meeting with Michael. You know how obsessed he is with image."

"I'll take UberSelect. Michael won't know it's not my car." Fitz wrapped her in a tight hug, already dreading leaving her. "Now, as much as I would love to stay here and argue with you, I need to get to the job site. Thank you for a wonderful day. I will send Brian to pick you up tomorrow at eleven."

Olivia shocked herself by reaching up and pecking Fitz softly on the lips. There was no reason for the charade in front of Samuel, but her actions felt like the natural conclusion of the day they shared. "Thank you for everything today. I'll admit you are pretty good at surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of the day you planned. Will you text me tonight?"

Fitz couldn't tell if her request was sincere or if she was playing the role of his girlfriend. Everything about the moment felt real, but he knew it wasn't. At the end of the day, Brian would return her to the home and life she shared with her husband. "It will probably be late when I leave the job site, but I'll text to see if you are free," he responded. He lingered for a few seconds, not wanting to let her go, before leaning down, kissing her on the top of her head, and releasing her. "Samuel, can I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course. Olivia, why don't you start looking at watches? I'll be right back."

Fitz and Samuel headed out of the showroom and back into the sitting room. When they were alone, Samuel asked, "Fitzgerald, who is that woman?"

"Olivia. Isn't she amazing?"

"I know her name. What is her relationship to you?"

"She's a friend, a very special friend. That's why I wanted to talk with you. In addition to whatever she selects, I need you to design an engagement ring. I have an idea in mind, but I need you to pay attention to her style to make sure she will like what we design."

"An engagement ring?" Samuel asked incredulously. "I just designed an engagement ring for you less than three months ago. That ring was obviously not for Olivia, it was much too large for her finger."

"No, that ring was for someone else, she called off the engagement."

"And now you are ready to propose to your _friend_ , Olivia?"

"Yes," Fitz responded, annoyed by Samuel's questions. "Are you going to design the ring or do I need to find a new jeweler.

"Fitzgerald, please, there's no need for threats. I will design the ring as you requested. You're investing a lot in this young woman. I'm just trying to protect you."

"I appreciate your concern, but I don't need protection from Olivia. I will send you a sketch for the ring in an hour and return after my meeting to select the stones."

Samuel had designed countless pieces for Fitz, but never once had he taken the time to participate in the design. He usually just provided the basics of what he needed and trusted Samuel to work his magic. "You're going to sketch ring yourself?"

"I'm an architect by trade. I think I can provide enough detail for you to understand what I have in mind," Fitz teased. "Now, if there's nothing else, I really must go. Can I let Tom know that Brian will be joining Olivia or do you need to do so?"

"I'll do it. Otherwise, he'll harass Brian, much like he did you and Olivia. What time do you expect you will return?"

Fitz looked at his watch, it was a little before three o'clock. "I hope to be back around seven. Does that work for you?"

"Yes. I'll be here working on Olivia's other pieces. Just keep the elevator card so you can let yourself up."

Samuel stood up and pressed the buzzer unlocking the door for Fitz's departure. Fitz moved to leave, but stopped, turned to Samuel, and said, "I'm sorry I was short with you earlier. I know is this is not how you planned to spend your afternoon and evening. I really appreciate your concern and you taking such good care of Olivia. As I said earlier, she's very special to me." With that, he quickly turned on his heels and exited the suite.

Less than three hours later, Olivia was comfortably seated in the back of Fitz's Mercedes-Maybach sedan. "Where to Mrs. Ballard?"

"Just home, Brian. Thanks." Olivia sighed, sinking back into the plush leather seats, thinking how easy it would be to get used to Fitz's lifestyle. She wondered how many people it took to run his life. In the past two days, she'd met Stacey, Brian, and Samuel. Technically, Juan Carlos was a friend, but, from Fitz's description, it sounded like he too had spent time as a member of the Fitzgerald Grant entourage. Including herself, that was five people and she hadn't included the people responsible for running his household. From the outside looking in, it appeared he had outsourced the parts of his life that he would share with a partner. She wondered if he ever got lonely with no one waiting at home for him at the end of a long day. "What time are you picking up Fitz? I'm fine back here if you want to detour to pick him up before dropping me off at home."

"He won't be ready for at least another hour. My instructions are to take you wherever you want to go and then head to the job site to pick him up. Also, he asked me to have you call him when you were headed home."

"I thought you said he would be working for another hour."

"He will be, but I know he also wants to speak with you."

Olivia pulled out her cellphone and asked Siri to call Fitz. "Hello beautiful," he answered, his velvety baritone practically oozing through the phone.

"Hey, you," she replied happily, unable to deny the million-watt smile that spread across her face upon hearing his voice. "Did everything go well with Michael and Neil?

"Yeah. I spent the last two hours re-pitching Neil's solutions to Michael. Somehow, they were more palatable to him coming from me. I'm exhausted and Neil is frustrated, but we have a plan for moving forward that Neil should be able to manage. I told Michael I would be out of pocket for the next few days. If anything comes up while I'm away, Cyrus and my dad will have to handle it. I have a conference call scheduled with both of them tonight to catch them up on the projects that may go to crap while I'm away. Enough about me, how was the rest of your day? Are you finished with Samuel? Did everything go smoothly?"

"Yes, we wrapped up about twenty minutes ago. It went well, I think. We covered everything on your list. He only has to design a few pieces and that was mostly to satisfy his own perfectionism. I was fine with the selections in the showroom. Is he always so formal? I tried to loosen him up, but he was strictly business for the three hours I was there."

"He's very old-world," he explained, trying to calm her anxiety. "It takes him a while to warm up to new people." Fitz mentally kicked himself for leaving her alone with Samuel. He should have known Samuel would be more reserved, more protective of the Grant image, than Stacey or Juan Carlos and that Olivia would perceive that as a slight. He understood Samuel was a longtime family friend and he was only looking out for his best interest, but it was unacceptable for him to make Olivia feel like an outsider. There would be consequences for Samuel if his actions brought any of Olivia's earlier apprehensions back to the surface.

Unable to disguise her hurt, she responded, "In other words, he thought I was a gold-digging hoe that you were dressing up to pass off as your girlfriend for the Merkles."

"Liv…" he said, exasperated, wishing he was there with her to ease her insecurities. "That's not true. You know that's not how I feel. You're perfect just as you are. The upgrades are purely for show. You know how judgmental New England WASP women can be. I don't want them to decide who you are before you have a chance to open your mouth. They are expecting a certain look and we're simply checking that box."

"It may not be true for you, but it was for him. Are you sure I'm the right choice for this weekend? I'm not exactly membership material for the good ol' boys club."

"You're not only the right choice, but you're best and only choice for me. Juan Carlos loved you and Kaitlyn hated you immediately and you handled both situations with ease. That's better than I could have hoped for today, especially given how nervous you were about going to the club. You were born prepared for this weekend, but I promise I won't leave your side until you are comfortable."

"What if I never get comfortable?" she asked quietly.

"Then I will make up some excuse and we will leave, together. You don't have to be there one second longer than you want to be."

"What about the deal your father is trying to close with Stephen Merkle? You can just leave because I'm uncomfortable."

"I can and I will. Nothing is more important to me than you." Olivia froze at Fitz's words. Obviously, he didn't mean them like they came out. She was his assistant and his friend, but this deal with the Merkles could be worth millions of dollars for the company. It was Fitz's best chance to prove to the Board that he was ready to be CEO. An opportunity like this wouldn't present itself again in the next three months. This weekend was the most important weekend of his life. He wouldn't really walk away from an opportunity like this for her. Would he?

"Deal?" she heard Fitz say. "Liv, are you there?"

Olivia scrambled, realizing that she'd missed most of what he said. "I'm sorry you broke up during that last part, what did you say?"

"I don't know how much you heard, but I said we're either both in or we're both out. I don't want to do business with a man that prides himself on family values, but can't accept you as my fiancée. I won't stand for that personally and I won't tolerate it in my company. If that's how my father does business, he can find someone else to run his company. So, Livvie, do we have a deal?"

"Deal," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're turning onto my street. I need to go," she said, desperately fighting against the feelings from earlier that day that threatened to return. How was it that he knew exactly what to say to turn her insides into goo? She was a married woman who loved her husband. She should not be on the phone pining for another man. She needed to be in the house making things right with her husband. Tonight her husband needed to be her only focus. She couldn't go into this weekend with Fitz with things unresolved at home.

His heart ached as he heard his Livvie, the woman he'd come to adore over the past few days, prepare to transition back to Jake's wife. Given his family's wealth and influence, Fitz wasn't accustomed to feeling powerless, but that's exactly how he felt in this moment. No matter how much he tried to pretend it wasn't real, she belonged to another man. "Liv?"

"Yes?" she asked expectantly.

"Don't forget your wedding rings are in your purse. You should return them to their rightful place before John sees you."

"Shit, I totally forgot I took them off," she cried, her panic pulling her out of her thoughts, as she began searching her purse for her rings. "Thanks for reminder."

"No problem. And, Liv…"

"Yes."

"Please know you are incredibly special to me and I won't tolerate anyone making you feel otherwise, even if that someone is you."

"Thank you. I have to go," she said, "Jake is probably waiting for me."

Fitz winced at the sound of Jake's name slipping from her lips. "OK. Have a good evening. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Same to you. Don't work too hard tonight. I'll see you at the airport in the morning." Olivia disconnected the phone without saying good-bye and stared at her house. Her husband was her first and only priority tonight. The distance between the two of them was allowing Fitz to get in her head and making her read into things that clearly were not there. She needed to be focused and grounded if she and Fitz were going to pull this off and that wouldn't happen if she couldn't control her emotions.

Brian heard Olivia disconnect her call and moved to escort her from the vehicle. "Thanks, Brian," she said accepting his hand to help her out of the car. "Hopefully, he doesn't keep you out too late. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Mrs. Ballard. I'll see you at eleven. "

Olivia walked briskly toward the house. She paused at the door, fluffing her hair, smoothing her outfit, and taking one final look at her left hand to ensure things were in order before entering through the front door. "Jake, are you home?" she called out.

"In here," he replied from the den.

Olivia entered the den and found Jake seated in his favorite recliner. Determined to be present, as his wife, in the moment, she flopped her small body down onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. She pulled him toward her, kissing him, her lips pressed softly against his. As the kiss grew more urgent, she slid her hands down his back, pressing her body against his, pushing away thoughts of how his body was soft in all the places where Fitz was hard. Without warning, Jake pulled away from her and searched her face, looking for answers he was afraid to find. Olivia's eyes fluttered open, "Why did you stop?"

"We need to talk."

Olivia lowered her hand to Jake's crotch, massaging him through his pants. "I can think of better ways to spend the evening," she whispered in his ear, her tongue darting out to tease his earlobe.

"Olivia, stop!" he commanded, grabbing her hand to still her movements. "We've barely spoken, much less touched, in forty-eight hours. You come home, all hot and bothered, after spending the day with him and you expect me to forget everything that's happened and fall into bed with you. I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Can't I just be excited to see you? I'm leaving tomorrow and we won't see each other for four days," she whined. "Is it so terrible that I wanted to make the most out of the time we have left?"

"What did he buy you today?" he asked coldly.

"Really!?" she exclaimed, leaping from his lap and pacing around the room. "I leave in seventeen hours and you want to talk about what he bought me today. He bought jewelry," she replied nonchalantly.

"Let me guess," he said bitterly, "he bought you the biggest diamond in the store for your engagement ring."

"Actually, no, he didn't buy me an engagement ring," she said softly.

"You sound disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed, just surprised."

"Why? It makes sense to me. Why spend six figures on something you can't keep and he can't return."

"I guess..." she trailed off, unwilling to give voice to her thoughts. "Anyway, enough about him. I don't want to spend our last night together talking about him."

"We haven't done much talking about anything lately."

Olivia felt like she had been punched in the gut. "I know and I'm sorry. I should have talked to you and I should have listened to what you had to say. I should never have agreed to accompany Fitz until you and I agreed that it was in the best interest of our family."

"I never would have agreed to let you go. You leaving with him is not in the best interest of our family. I don't care what he offers you to go. You're my wife! The thought of you alone with him, with any man, makes me crazy."

"I know you don't believe me, but I really am doing this for us."

"How do you think that makes me feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"My wife is pimping herself out to her boss because she doesn't believe I can provide for her."

"I'm not pimping myself out to my boss. Nothing about our interactions are sexual," she said, working overtime not to think about what almost happened in the car or how comfortable she was in his arms at Samuel's. "You can provide for me, you do provide for me."

"Not like he can. It's only been two days and he's changing you already."

"He's not changing me."

"Have you looked at yourself in the mirror today? Everything about you is different, your hair, your clothes, the way you carry yourself. I can't find my wife anywhere in there. The only part of you I recognize are your wedding rings."

"Is that why you stopped earlier?" she asked, genuinely hurt by his rejection. "All of this is superficial. I've upgraded my wardrobe and changed my hair, but I'm still your wife."

"Is that what people see when the two of you are together. Fitz and a married woman?"

Olivia reflected on her interactions with Juan Carlos, Kaitlyn, and Samuel earlier in the day. "That's not fair. The whole point is for us to be believable as a couple. I'm supposed to look like Fitzgerald Grant's fiancée."

"You'll forgive me if I see the same when I look at you."

"Jake..." she pleaded. "I love you and I'm asking you to trust me. I can't leave with him tomorrow unless I know we'll be okay when I return."

"And what if I say we won't; will you stay?"

"Is that how you feel?"

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters. You're my husband." Olivia stopped pacing and stood still, facing Jake. Slowly she removed both of her shoes. Next, she pulled her blouse over her head and threw it on the couch. She reached behind her and unbuttoned and unzipped her skirt, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Jake looked on in confusion. "Liv, what are you doing? We're not done talking."

"I'm getting rid of Fitz's fiancée. I want you to only see your wife when you look at me," she said, pulling her hair out of her face and securing it with an elastic hair tie. "Now, I'll ask you again, if I leave tomorrow, will we be OK when I return on Monday?"

"Come here," he commanded, his voice laced with lust.

"Not until you answer the question," she teased. "Will we be OK?"

She was using her body to get her way and he hated it. She wanted to go with Fitz and she wanted his blessing to do so. How could she be so selfish? She didn't get to spend the day flirting with Fitz, come home, and take her clothes off for him. Yet, how could he resist her, deny her anything, when she was standing there before him wearing only her underwear, practically begging him to take her. "If you come back to me, as my wife, we will be OK."

"Not if," she said, strolling past Jake, "when."

"Where are you going?" he called.

"Upstairs," she replied. "Are you joining me?"

Jake leapt out of his chair and chased a squealing Olivia up the stairs and into the bedroom.

 **A/N: So, please don't hate me, but I decided to end this chapter here. It was turning into a 10K word mega chapter and there was still more to write. It needed to be separated into two chapters and this was the most obvious place to end things. The next chapter will start with the promised Jake and Fitz interaction, Fitz will really start to hammer away at Olivia's walls, and they FINALLY arrive in the Hamptons. So, what do you think? Has pretending become real? Is he moving too fast and speaking truths Olivia's not ready to hear or is he simply a wise business man that understands a tolerant work environment is a productive work environment? As always, I love to read your comments (and yes I know you hate Jake, but you can tell me anyway). I know the story I'm trying to tell and it's encouraging to read that some of you are reading what I write as well as what I don't write. Until next time…ciao!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: As promised, here is the second half of the last chapter. Don't get used to this speed. I don't usually write this fast, but I had most of this chapter written when I posted on Monday. I hope you enjoy!**

Olivia heard the doorbell ring. "Shit, he's early," she cried. "That's Brian, tell him I'll be down in ten minutes," she called to Jake.

Jake begrudgingly rose from his chair and trudged forward to open the door. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Fitz standing there instead of the driver. "Grant," was all he offered in greeting as he opened the door, allowing Fitz to enter their home.

"Ballard," Fitz replied, "thank you for being so understanding. I really appreciate you letting me borrow Olivia this weekend."

Jake huffed before snidely remarking, "It's not as if I was given any other option. If you touch her…I swear…"

Annoyed by Jake's attitude, Fitz decided to forego the higher road and to meet Jake on his level. Smiling brightly, he raised his hands in surrender, "It's not my fault the Ballard women find me irresistible."

"Asshole. You ruined my family. I have two little sisters."

"How was I supposed to know she was your mother? She was smoking hot. I knew she was older, but I thought she was in her mid-thirties not her late forties."

"You knew she was married, but you didn't care, you slept with her anyway," Jake whispered angrily.

"She was married, not me, and, she approached me, I didn't pursue her. Sleeping with me was the symptom, not the cause. Whatever went wrong in her marriage happened long before that night. I'm not responsible for what happened to your family. You're the little bitch baby that told your father. You and your righteous attitude ruined your family, not me," Fitz spit back in a hushed tone. "Why are we whispering?" Fitz asked, but before Jake could respond, he added, "Olivia doesn't know, does she? Of course not, Olivia's not the kind of woman to throw something like that in your face. It must have killed you when she accepted the job at Grant Enterprises."

"Did you know she was my wife when you hired her?"

"I didn't hire her. She was hired to work in the assistants' pool. I didn't hear about her until she had been with the company for months. I'll admit, when I heard the new assistant everyone was talking about was named Ballard, I was curious. I thought it was one of your sisters, imagine my surprise when it was _her_."

"Damn it Grant! I knew this was a bad idea. Stay away from her," he growled. "You had your opportunity. She picked me."

"Picked you? What are you talking about? I saw her that night. Come on, she's model gorgeous, the entire table noticed her that night, but I never approached her. She doesn't even remember me. Why should she? I was just another face in a sea of faces." Fitz paused and gestured toward the walls, "Given the choice, do you really think she would have picked this life?" Fitz could tell his words were having the desired impact and it took all of his willpower not to laugh in Jake's face.

"Fuck you Grant. Not every woman falls for your pretty, rich boy charm."

"It worked on your mother," Fitz replied, with a Cheshire grin, thoroughly enjoying goading Jake. "Isn't that what you're really worried about? That Olivia is just as disenchanted with her marriage as your mother was with hers. Don't worry, she's safe with me."

Fitz knew that his last comment had pushed Jake too far when he noticed his hands were balled into fists by his side. He wondered if Jake was stupid enough to swing at him with Olivia upstairs. He groaned in disappointment when he heard Olivia's light footsteps descending the stairs.

"Everything ok?" Olivia asked when she entered the room, eyeing both men suspiciously, as she took her place at Jake's side, wrapping her arm around his waist.

Fitz was momentarily speechless. Olivia looked stunning dressed simply in a white tank top tunic, leggings, and ballet flats, her bob styled in loose curls. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. It was the first time he'd seen her dressed so casually and he knew that it was an image he'd never forgot. It was hard to believe, but he found this casual version Olivia to be even sexier than the perfectly polished version he was accustomed seeing at work.

Misinterpreting the intensity of Fitz's gaze, Oliva offered, "Don't worry, I'm not wearing this to the Merkles'. My dress is in the garment bag. I plan to change on the plane."

"You look gorgeous," he responded, his eyes flicking to Jake to gauge his reaction to the compliment. "Forget what Stacey said. You can wear that if you want."

"Don't be silly," she teased. "These are my traveling clothes," she explained, holding up the sweater she was carrying, "I get cold when I fly."

"You don't have to worry about that," he said, flashing her his lopsided grin. "My father loaned us his jet. He wanted us to be comfortable."

"Typical," Jake muttered under his breath, barely audibly.

"What babe?" Olivia asked.

Ignoring her question, Jake pulled Olivia into an embrace, engulfing her small body in his arms. Holding her tightly, his face nuzzled in the crook of her neck, he whined, "Are you sure you can't stay another ten minutes? It's a private flight," he begged, placing a series of small kisses along her jawline.

"If that's all the time you need," Fitz responded to Jake before directing his comments to Olivia, "I'll grab your bags and wait for you in the car."

"Fitz, wait," Olivia called, pushing away from Jake's embrace. "I'll walk out with you," she said turning to her husband.

Fitz smirked at Jake over Olivia's head. "Don't rush. I'll give the two of you some privacy to say a proper goodbye." Fitz headed toward her luggage but stopped suddenly and turned around. "Oh," he said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a white envelope. "I almost forgot. This is for you," he said, handing Olivia the envelope.

"What's this?" Olivia opened the envelope and saw an official bank check made out to Olivia Pope Ballard. "Oh," she mumbled, obviously uncomfortable with the exchange of funds. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. Take all the time the two of you need. I'll be waiting in the car." With that, he gathered Olivia's bags and headed toward the door.

"Do you need a hand?" Jake offered.

"No, I'm more than just a pretty face," Fitz chuckled as he exited the brownstone.

When he was sure that Fitz was out of earshot, Jake asked, "What's in the envelope?"

"A check for two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I should put this in the safe," she explained before rushing upstairs.

Once upstairs, she ran into the bedroom, closed the door, and sunk to the floor. Confident Jake hadn't followed her upstairs, she flung the check across the room. Now that money had actually exchanged hands she suddenly felt cheap and dirty. What the hell had she been thinking? She couldn't do this. "Fuck!" she screamed into her hands. Why did he have to give her that damn check? Things were going so well between them. Yesterday had been one of the best days of her life. Now, she felt like a whore, a very high-priced whore, but a whore nonetheless. Yes, he dressed her up, made sure she was perfectly groomed, and lavished attention and expensive gifts upon her, but, at the end of the day, she was just another object he purchased and used to suit his purposes.

She was going to be sick. She rushed to the bathroom and hovered over the toilet waiting for her stomach to void itself of its contents. As she stood there waiting, tears streaming down her face, she heard Fitz's voice in her head – pretending is what's real. Those four words played over and over in her head until she felt herself slowly calming down. Pretending is what's real – that was the only explanation for how Fitz could go from the warm, charming and attentive man that spent the last two days pampering her to the distant man who calmly handed her a check for a quarter of a million dollars and waited outside while she fucked her husband. Pretending is what's real – she could do this. She could pretend that her boss paying her an exorbitant amount of money to accompany him for the weekend didn't make her feel cheap and dirty. She could ignore the judgmental voices in her head and go back to being the person she was yesterday, the carefree, easy-going Olivia that could handle any challenge he presented. Yes, she could ignore, but she couldn't forget.

Olivia stood upright and stared at her puffy red face in the mirror. She could do this. She took a deep breath and splashed cool water on her face, washing away both her makeup and her tears. She took another cleansing breath and slowly and methodically started reapplying her makeup. When she was finished, she once again looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes and nose were still a little red, but she'd done everything she could to cover up any evidence of her meltdown. It wasn't perfect, but it should get her past Jake and Fitz. She took one final deep breath, to steady herself for what she was sure to face downstairs and in the car. _You can do this. Pretending is what's real._ Feeling as confident as she was going to get, she returned to the bedroom, collected the check from the floor, and put it in the safe in their bedroom closet. Ready to face the world, she opened the bedroom door and slowly descended the steps.

"Everything ok? You took a long time up there."

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just had a little trouble with the safe." Eager to change the topic, she asked, "Why did you want to hit Fitz?"

"I wasn't going to hit him. He was being an ass and I let him goad me, but I wasn't going to hit him." He pulled her close and looked down at her, lacing his fingers through her hair before pulling her in for a bruising kiss. "Don't go. Don't leave with him. Stay with me."

She cupped his face in her hands, pulling his face toward her, brushing her fingers across his smooth, freshly shaved cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too." He traced a line with the back of her fingers down the side of her face, neck, and collarbone. He brushed a thumb across her nipple, causing the bud to stiffen, as he continued to trail a path down her side, his light touch making her squirm. "I'll miss you."

"I will call you every day. Twice a day," she promised. When he slipped his hand into the waistband of her leggings, she tensed in his arms. "We can't. He's waiting for me. There's not enough time."

"He said take as much time as we need. He can wait," he whispered against her lips. Jake pressed forward, sliding his fingers into her panties. He expected to find her hot, wet, and wanting but she wasn't. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just nervous," she said, distracting him with a breathtaking kiss while she removed his hand from her panties.

"You'll be fine. Dealing with Grant will be the hardest part. I could help you relax," he said seductively, pulling her closer so she could feel his erection pressed against her stomach.

"I need to go," she said, pulling out of his embrace. "We'll be late."

"You could…" his voice trailed off as his eyes darted from her eyes to her lips to his erection.

Had the men in her life lost their minds? Had she? First, Fitz causally hands her a check as if this were an everyday transaction and now Jake expects her to drop to her knees and service him. "I would," she said, dropping her hand to this front of his pants, palming his cloth covered erection, "but it would ruin my makeup." She leaned in and kissed him, drawing back slowly afterward. "I really must go."

Jake reluctantly released her. "I love you and I trust you. When you get back maybe we can both take some time off work and go somewhere, just the two of us."

"Sounds good." She pecked him on the lips one final time and headed toward the door before she changed her mind.

When Olivia exited the house, she saw Brian leaning against a black Range Rover. Brian's face lit up in a huge smile when he saw her. "Good morning, Mrs. Ballard," he said, opening the rear passenger door for Olivia.

"It's good to see you again Brian. I'm sorry to keep you out here waiting in the heat so long," she replied as she entered the vehicle.

"It's no problem. Waiting is at least fifty percent of the job," he said, closing the door once she was settled. Brian quickly circled the vehicle and took his position behind the wheel. Within seconds, he steered the Range Rover away from the curb and headed in the direction of the private airport.

Fitz finished the email he was writing and turned to Olivia. He immediately noted her face was slightly puffy and her eyes and nose were tinted red. "Is everything ok? You look upset. Have you been crying?"

"I'm fine," she bristled. "Why did my husband want to hit you?"

"What?" he asked, worried that Jake had snitched.

"When I came downstairs, Jake was standing in front of you with his hands balled into fist. He was going to hit you. What did you do to make him want to hit you?"

He didn't know how much she knew, but he suspected not much, if anything, because she was obviously fishing for information. He knew if he answered her question, she would demand that he take her home and probably quit. He couldn't risk losing her for something he did a decade before she came into his life. "Did you ask your husband?"

"Yes, now stop deflecting and answer the question."

"I'm not deflecting. If you asked your husband, why are asking me? What did he say?"

"He didn't answer me. He tried to distract me with sex."

The thought of Jake touching her made him see red. Was she having sex with her husband while he waited in the car? Struggling to get himself together, he asked, "Did it work?"

"Yes and no." Fitz remained silent, waiting for her to continue. "I stopped asking questions, but we didn't have sex. Now, are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Only if you tell me why you've been crying. What happened in there? What did he do to you?"

" _He_ didn't do anything to me."

"Then why were you crying? Who upset you?"

"You!"

"Me!? What did I do!? What happened between me and Ballard didn't have anything to do with you." Fitz paused, frozen in place as the realization of what upset her washed over him. "The check," he whispered softly. "Livvie, I'm sorry."

"Don't call me that," she snapped.

"Brian, pull over," he barked.

"Sir? Where?"

"Here, anywhere, I don't care, just stop driving." Brian pulled onto the shoulder and eased the car to a stop. Fitz turned to face Olivia, reaching for her hand. Olivia snatched her hand out of his reach and moved her body closer to the door, creating as much space between them as possible. "Liv, please," he begged. "I'm sorry. I never intended to hurt you and I hate myself for making you cry."

"What did you think would happen when you handed me that check?" she replied, her anger a poor attempt to mask the hurt.

Fitz fell silent for a moment, carefully considering his reply. In a quiet voice he said, "Exactly what happened, it's why I left after I gave it to you. I couldn't bear to stand there and watch the hurt creep across your face."

"So you knew it would hurt me and you did it anyway?"

"You think that was easy for me? You think I wanted to hurt you less than twenty-four hours after promising I would never allow anyone make you feel the way you feel right now? I know what you're thinking. I don't think you're a whore. I would never treat you like a whore."

"Says the man that just handed me a check for a quarter of a million dollars."

"The money was part of the deal I made with you and the deal you made with your husband. After yesterday, there was never going to be a good time for that exchange. If I could do it all over again, I would have given you the check Tuesday morning when you agreed to come with me and gotten that ugliness out of the way in the very beginning."

"What do you mean after yesterday? What exactly do you think happened yesterday?" she asked defensively.

"You dropped your guard a little and you let me see you, the real you. Not the bold, brash, and sassy Olivia you are at work, but the intelligent, compassionate, and funny woman that spent the day with me yesterday. You allowed yourself to be vulnerable with me. I know you've had your doubts about this weekend and all of the material changes I've insisted on haven't made things any easier, but yesterday it felt like you were starting to trust me."

"That's because you were trustworthy yesterday. Which one is the real Fitz? Are you really the asshole I just met or the man I spent the day with yesterday?"

Fitz slid closer to her, crowding her just enough to force her to pay attention to him. "Liv, I've never lied to you. You know exactly who I am and what I'm capable of doing. That's why you're so hurt now, because you never thought I was capable of doing this to you. You thought you were different, special, the one woman I would never betray, never treat this way. But, I think you're in this car right now because even though I hurt you, you're not sure that's who I am. It's not and you're right, you are different, special, and I would never try to buy you. I'm paying for your time and inconvenience. Somewhere in there, you know I'm telling the truth, because, if I wasn't, the Olivia Ballard I know would have torn up the check and told me to go fuck myself. But, you didn't, you're here, with me now so I think you want to believe me."

"How do you know I'm not here for the money?"

"Do you want Brian to take you home?"

"What?"

He used his index finger to gently lift her chin, forcing her to make eye contact with him. "Do you want Brian to take you home?" he repeated slowly. "I'm telling you now that you can keep the money and everything else and go home to your husband. We can pretend the last three days never happened."

Olivia was lost in a swirling sea of emotion. She was hurt and angry, but he was correct, she wanted to believe him. The Fitz she knew, the one she agreed to help, would never treat her the way she felt he treated her today. He looked genuinely miserable, worse that he did the morning after Mellie called off their engagement. Not ready to move forward, but unwilling to turn back, she replied, "You can't go alone. The Merkles are expecting you and your fiancée."

"That's my problem."

"What will you say?"

"I'll tell them the truth. That I'm an insensitive asshole. That I hurt you in a way that I promised no one ever would. That you were right not to come and that I deserved to spend the most important weekend of my life alone. That I'm devastated and truly hoping I haven't broken us forever because I can't imagine my life without you."

"I hate you," she whispered. "You can't treat me like some whore you ordered from an agency."

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I promise I will never hurt you again. I never want to see you cry and know I'm the person that made you cry. I want to be your…" Olivia looked up at him, her face paralyzed with terror about what his next word would be. Fitz sensed Olivia's panic and quickly pivoted. "Friend. I want to be someone you can trust. So, Livvie, what's it going to be? Are you in this with me?"

Turning away from Fitz, she looked toward to driver's seat and said, "Brian…"

"Yes, Mrs. Ballard."

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath, hoping that she was making the right decision. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked directly at Fitz and said, "Take us to the airport."

"As you wish, ma'am," he replied, starting the engine and carefully directing the vehicle back into traffic.

Relieved, Fitz slid back to his side of the vehicle, beaming with joy.

"Don't smile at me. You didn't win."

"I know, but I do enjoy losing to you," he said with a smirk.

They spent the rest of the twenty-minute journey to Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport in silence, each one reflecting on what just transpired between them. When they arrived at the airport, they were directed to the company jet without delay. Olivia wasn't sure what she expected, but it certainly wasn't the 124 feet corporate jet with the Grant Enterprises name on the outside of the fuselage and company logo on the fin. Fitz extended his hand palm up, "Are you ready future Ms. Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the Third?"

"It is too late to change my mind?"

Fitz's head snapped toward Olivia in panic. He was relieved when he heard the delightful sound of her laughter and realized she was just teasing him. Olivia placed her hand in his. "I'm ready and it's going to be great."

"Come with me," he said, practically pulling her in the direction of the plane. "I'll give you the grand tour."

They entered the plane in the crew area and were greeted by the pilot and crew. Fitz spent a moment reviewing the flight plan with the pilot before excusing himself, explaining to the crew that he would personally get Olivia settled in. The interior of the plane was larger than a New York City apartment and was modernly decorated in a combination of creams, grays, silvers, and chrome. Olivia looked around in awe as he led her through a homely kitchen and into the master lounge. The lounge had a sofa with a small coffee table on one side and two captains chair facing each other, but separated by a small table, on the other side with a sixty-five inch curved television mounted to the wall. The next section of the plane was conference/dining area with seating for six. Beyond this was a second lounge area with another comfortable looking couch and another large screen television. They were only about two thirds of the way through the plane when Fitz ended the tour.

"What's through those doors?"

"What there?" he asked, pointing toward the door. "That's the master suite. There is a private bathroom with a separate lavatory and shower and a bedroom with a double bed and a sofa. Nothing to see in there unless I can convince you to join the mile high club with me," he said, flashing her a seductive grin.

"You're offer is so tempting…I'm going to have to say…" Fitz looked at her completely surprised. Was she really considering having sex with him? It couldn't really be that easy, could it? The thoughts running through Fitz's head were so loud Olivia couldn't ignore them. "No!" she exclaimed, doubling over in laugher. "You didn't really think a fancy jet was all you needed to convince me to sleep with you, did you? I turned down your offer to keep the money and run, but nothing's changed. This is a business trip, an unconventional one, but a business trip nonetheless. Sorry to disappoint you, but you will remain in the friend zone all weekend."

"I'll take the friend zone," he said eagerly.

Olivia turned on her heels and returned the front lounge. She selected the captain's chair facing the rear of the plane. Olivia watched as Fitz settled into the chair opposite her and followed suit, relaxing into her seat and looking absentmindedly out the window. She turned to look at Fitz and was startled to find his piercing blue eyes staring intently at her, his thin lips twisted in a curious smile. God, when he looked at her like that, as if she held the secrets to his universe, she could hardly breathe. "What are you thinking?" she asked. "No editing."

"What are the five things I should know about you as your fiancé that I don't know as your boss."

"Why? Do you think anyone will ask questions beyond the superficial how did you meet and how did he propose questions?" she asked, suddenly worried they had spent too much time flirting and not enough time studying yesterday.

"We'll get to those later, but for now I just want to get to know you, the woman I'm pretending to love for the next four days."

"I was born Olivia Carolyn Pope on…"

"January 31, 1983, you're an Aquarius, in Boston, Massachusetts. I know this stuff already. Tell me something I don't know."

"I was born in New York City at Presbyterian Hospital. My mother was a graduate student at Columbia. We didn't move to Boston until I was four."

"I stand corrected, but my point is the same. I'm not interested in this superficial biographical bullshit. Tell me something I wouldn't know if I looked you up on LinkedIn."

"What do you what want to know?"

"I don't know. That's the point of the question. Let's start simple, I'm going to the bar and you ask me to bring you a drink. What should I bring you?"

"The champagne you ordered at lunch was great. You can use your judgment."

"Why are you being so thick? I ordered champagne because that's easy. I haven't met a woman yet that doesn't enjoy quality champagne. But, that's not what you would have ordered for yourself. What would _you_ have ordered?"

"Wine."

"You see that's not so hard. Red or white?"

"Red, preferably a Cabernet or a Malbec, that's what I drink in casual settings or at home on the couch. At a club, I'd ask you to bring me either a vodka or tequila cocktail. At a baseball game, and only at a baseball game, I'll drink a beer. It's part of the experience. At a cigar bar, I would drink bourbon. I told you. It's not an easy question to answer."

Fitz stopped listening after she said cigar bar, all he could focus on was an image of her full lips wrapped around the butt of a cigar. Fuck, was there a sexier image than that of a beautiful woman smoking a cigar? "You smoke?"

"Only the occasional cigar or joint. I've been known to mix the two at times," she said with a wink and a devilish smile. Fitz shifted slightly in his seat. Olivia knew exactly the affect her words were having on his body and she was enjoying his reaction. She was so used to him being in control that it was a novel experience to watch him lose a bit of that control. She wondered if he could fully submit to a woman or if his alpha prevented him from completely letting go. She shook her head to rid herself of the image of his beautiful face twisted in pleasure as he climaxed beneath her.

"Oh, and I know that you always drink a single malt scotch no matter the setting. Your preference is a twenty-five year old Laphroaig, but you'll settle for an eighteen if it's all you can get; followed by a twenty-five or eighteen year old Glenlivet; and finally, if you're desperate, you'll settle for Johnnie Walker Blue Label. I'm curious, what do you drink at a baseball game if you're not in a luxury box?" Fitz looked at her sheepishly. "You've never been to a game and not sat in a luxury box. Have you?"

"Don't judge me," he cried. "I'm not a huge sports fan. Most of the time if I'm at a game it's a business event. When we go to the Red Sox game, we will sit behind the dugout, I will wear a Red Sox hat, and we will drink beer. What's your favorite movie?"

"Easy… _Ghost_. I still cry every time I watch that movie."

" _Ghost_? With Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore? Where you even born when that movie came out?"

"My friends and I watched that movie every day the summer before fifth grade. They all had a crush on Sam, but I secretly thought Carl was cuter. Those curls, the beautiful blue eyes, that body, and a bad boy; he was a pre-teen girl's wet dream, except for that whole crazy killer thing. By the end of the summer were we all convinced that we would one day find and marry our Sam, a man that would love us so much that even death couldn't kill that love. What I wouldn't give to be young again and naïve to the realities of love."

"Jason is not your Sam?" he questioned.

"Jake is my Sam, but he's not Sam, no real man is. Sam and Mollie have a perfect fantasy relationship. They are deliriously in love up until the day he dies. Don't misunderstand, I love Jake and I know that he loves me, but no relationship can sustain that level of all consuming love forever. Eventually reality comes and brings with it the difficulty of sharing your life with another person. Love is hard work. The adult me knows that and sometimes wishes she didn't," Olivia said with a sigh. "You're turn, what's your favorite movie."

" _A Few Good Men_."

"Really? If I were picking a Tom Cruise movie, I would have guessed _Top Gun_. You seem more of a Maverick guy than a Kaffee guy, although both men were trying to live their fathers' dreams. I can see the appeal."

"Aren't you a little young to remember these movies?"

"I'm thirty-four, not twenty-five. I'm grown enough to handle your old ass. Now, can we stop talking about my age so you can tell me why you picked that movie?"

"I can recite every word in the famous scene with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. The script for that movie was so layered and rich. Aaron Sorkin is a genius. The tension in that last scene was palpable and the acting was impeccable. I can't believe Jack Nicholson didn't win an Oscar for that role. _Unforgiven_ was good, and Gene Hackman was excellent, but Jack Nicholson was far better. He should have won that year."

"Do you really remember who won the Oscar that year?"

Fitz flashed Olivia his crooked grin. "I'm a bit of a movie buff. You should see the theater room in my condo. Once you watch a film there with me, you'll never want to go to a movie theater again. Oscar season is my March Madness and the Academy Awards are my Super Bowl."

"You do know you mixed your sports metaphors, right? March Madness is college basketball and the Super Bowl is professional football. Now, tell me who won best actor in 1992."

"Sir Anthony Hopkins. That's too easy. That year was the year of _Silence of the Lambs_ , the film received seven Oscars, including all five of the most coveted awards. Challenge me!"

"Who won best picture in 1964?"

" _My Fair Lady_." Fitz chuckled to himself at the irony of Olivia picking that film. The movie was about a pompous jackass that accepts a bet that he could turn a working girl into someone who could pass for a cultured member of high society. Olivia was neither Eliza Doolittle nor Vivian Ward, but the task before her was the same. Could she convince the titans of his industry that she belonged?

"How do I know if you're right?"

"You can look it up on your phone, but, trust me, I'm right. I could do this all day, but I'd rather talk about you. I'm embarrassed to ask because you bring me coffee almost every morning, but how do you take your coffee?"

"I don't," she said with a smile. "I prefer tea."

"Okay. What's your favorite tea?"

"Masala chai." Fitz looked at her curiously. "It's a spiced black tea. I like mine with vanilla. But, I can drink most black or green teas. You like your coffee strong and black."

"Remind you of anyone you know?" he asked with a wink. "I'm starting to feel like a terrible boss and a terrible person. You know so much about me and I don't know nearly as much about you."

"Don't feel bad. You're an excellent boss, attentive, encouraging, and supportive. I know so much about you because I've been taking care of you for four years. You've only been taking care of me for four days. Do you know how long it took me to learn the difference between a Brooks Brothers and a Ralph Lauren suit? I had to check the labels in your suits for six months. Now, I can tell the difference from across a crowded room. You only have to get through the next four days and then we will resume our usual roles. You have two questions left. What else do you want to know?"

"What's your lingerie size?"

"You are incorrigible," she replied in exasperation. "I promise you won't need that information this weekend."

"What?" he asked laughing, his hands raised in the air. "This is something your fiancé would know."

"Not happening Grant," she playfully warned.

"Fine," he conceded. "What's your favorite flower?"

"Peonies, specifically pink peonies. As a little girl, my friends and I used to sneak into my mother's garden and cut her peonies to make our pretend wedding bouquets."

"Did your real wedding bouquet have pink peonies?"

"No," she wistfully replied. "Peonies bloom in the late spring and early summer. Jake and I were married in September. It's very expensive to get them out of season and it would have been too extravagant for our simple courthouse ceremony." Fitz wondered, but didn't ask, why Olivia would settle for a courthouse wedding in a city full of beaches and other romantic venues. What happened between her childhood and wedding day that changed her dreams? "One question left. What else do you want to know?"

"Tell me something very few people know about you."

"I was an emancipated minor at age sixteen," she stated flatly.

"What were you, some kind of Disney kid popstar?" he teased.

"I wish," she replied sadly. "My mother died from breast cancer when I was twelve years old and my father grieved himself to death four years later. So, I found myself at age sixteen the orphaned only child of two only children. Both of my parents were estranged from their families. For years we lived happily as this small, but perfect little family. They were the only two people to call me Livvie, until you did yesterday. My parents were ridiculously in love until the day they both died and they doted on me endlessly. They worked hard to make certain I wasn't disadvantaged or deprived of family or love by the decisions they made. And, I wasn't, until my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Suddenly, everything changed in our world changed. My father poured everything he had into fighting to keep my mother alive. When she died, he barely had enough left to take care of himself, there was nothing left for me," Olivia explained with tears glistening in her eyes.

"You were just a child," he whispered, trying to manage his own emotion. "Who took care of you?"

"I took care of myself," she replied, clearly on autopilot, recounting the events, but experiencing very little of the emotion. "Without my mother, my father didn't know how to be a parent. It wasn't that he stopped loving me, he just couldn't take care of me. He made sure the basics were covered. He paid the bills, made sure there was food in the house, and that I access to the things I needed. He kept me safe and, in honor of my mother's memory, he ensured that I prioritized my studies and excelled academically."

"A teenage girl needs more than that. She needs structure, support, guidance, and love. She needs someone to take care of her."

"I got that, just not the traditional way. When I was fourteen, my father and I decided it would be best for me to attend Cushing Academy. The school is about an hour from Boston, so it made sense for me to enroll as a boarding student rather than spend two hours each day commuting. When my father was still alive, he'd pick me up on Fridays and drop me back off on Sundays. It was a routine that worked for both of us. I received a world-class education and the structure I needed along with the love and support of my father. He didn't have to worry about taking care of me and I could focus on my studies."

"And after he died? Why didn't you get a foster family?"

"I was one of the lucky kids. My parents were smart. Once my mother was diagnosed, she and my father hired the best will and estate attorney in Boston. They made sure that I would be protected in the unlikely event that they both passed away before I was eighteen. I also had an incredible headmaster and she agreed to be my guardian after my parents died. I was still a regular student, but she looked out for me and checked in occasionally to make sure everything was going well. When I approached her about emancipation, she helped me find a good family attorney and, together, they helped me navigate the process. It actually wasn't that difficult. I was a mature kid, enrolled in school, lived on campus, and my parents' estate provided more than I needed. The judge agreed that, given my situation, emancipation was in my best interest. I grew to appreciate the independence."

Fitz sat quietly, struggling to reconcile the words that were coming out of Olivia's mouth with her rather stoic response. He understood the events she described happened almost twenty years ago and that she time had helped numb her to the wounds, but he mourned for the young girl who lost her childhood in the most tragic of ways. "No one can survive alone in this world."

"I was surrounded by people. I had my headmaster, teachers, and friends. I wasn't alone, I just didn't have a family."

"What about holidays and summers?"

"I spent my summers at the Oxford College Summer School. I studied business, leadership, international relations, and Italian boys. At the time, I thought I was going to be a lawyer." Olivia's face unexpectedly lit up in a smile. "Also, there was a housekeeper, Gwendolyn Nelson, we all called her Winnie. The week of Thanksgiving after my father died, she found me in my room sobbing hysterically. I don't think I've ever felt so alone in my life. Thanksgiving is the one American holiday that is all about family. Everyone was preparing to head home, but I didn't have a home to go. Winnie helped me calm me down and insisted that I join her and her family for the Thanksgiving break. She was a single mother of three kids and they didn't have much, but I was touched that she and her family were so willing to share what they had with me. After that, I spent most of the holidays with Winnie and her family."

"She sounds like an amazing woman. Do you still keep in touch?"

"We did for a while. She even flew to Miami and stood up for me when I married Jake. Eventually, life pulled us in different directions, but we still exchange Christmas cards every year."

Fitz looked at Olivia with sadness etched in his handsome face. He longed to hold her, comfort her, but she didn't seem to need either. Her eyes glistened with tears, but she didn't allow a single one to fall. He had his own experience with loss, but it was in no way comparable to what she just shared. He didn't know how she was sitting there completely composed. Understanding the question he was struggling with, she added, "It was a long time ago. Jake's my family now." Looking at her watch and noting the time, she said, "We'll be arriving soon. I better start the transformation."

"I asked the crew to put your garment cover and carryall in the master suite. Do you need me to have them bring you anything else?"

"Did you pick up the jewelry from Samuel this morning?"

"Thanks for reminding me," he said subconsciously looking at his blazer laying on the couch. He rose, walked to the front of the cabin, and retrieved an aluminum attaché case from where it was stowed. He handed it to her. "Everything you selected is in here. The combination is…"

"Zero six two four," she finished for him. "It's the same code you use for everything. Shouldn't take me more than twenty minutes to change," she said, heading for the rear of the plane.

"Liv?"

"Yes?" she replied, turning to face him.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For trusting me enough to share your story."

Olivia looked at him with a sadness he didn't fully understand. "You are the man I'm about to pretend to agree to marry. I couldn't have you tell a story of asking my father for permission for my hand in marriage." Without another word, she solemnly headed to the bedroom suite.

Fitz grabbed his blazer from the couch, reached into the breast pocket, and retrieved a small antique octagonal wooden box. He scowled at the memory of Jake's arrogance, claiming victory in the competition for Olivia that never existed. That interaction made him practically giddy at the idea of branding Olivia as his own. He released the tiny brass hook closure and revealed a cushion cut halo diamond engagement ring on a velvet ring bed. Fitz studied the ring's intricate design, which included a six-carat cushion cut diamond surrounded by twenty-four pave diamonds on a platinum infinity split shank band decorated with thirty-six additional pave diamonds. Fitz and Samuel had worked together for hours to hand select each one of the sixty-one jewels that adorned the ring. The final product was almost an exact replica of Fitz's sketch and was some of Samuel's best work. He thought it was perfection.

Exactly twenty-seven minutes later, Olivia emerged from the rear of the cabin. Fitz rose to his feet when he heard the door to the master suite open. He palmed the ring box and stuffed his fists in his pocket. As Olivia approached, his heart started racing, his palms began sweating, and he paced in small circles. _Get it together Fitzgerald_ , he implored, willing himself to calm down. _You weren't this nervous when you proposed to Mellie._ _You know she's going to say yes. She already yes three hours ago._

When Olivia finally made her way to the lounge, he found himself speechless once again. Olivia's outfit was sophisticated, yet understated, perfectly complementing her natural beauty. She was dressed in light blue Victoria Beckham sleeveless flounce-hem dress. The dress had a high, rounded neckline and stopped about four inches above her knee. She wore silver Giuseppe sandals with a thin leather strap at the toe, midfoot, and ankle, each decorated with small Swarovski Crystals. She accented her outfit with a simple string of pearls, matching pearl studs, and a Movado bangle watch. Her fingers were bare except for the bridal set on her left ring finger.

"That dress is amazing on you. I'm starting to believe you would look gorgeous in a potato sack."

"Thank you," she said earnestly. "I believe Stacey dresses _me_ to bring out the blue in _your_ eyes."

"You're almost perfect."

"Almost? What's wrong?" asked a panicked Olivia. "Should I have straightened my hair? You hate the sandals. Are they too much for the afternoon? Do you prefer the diamonds to the pearls? Did I chose the wrong watch? Don't just stand there and stare at me, tell me what I need to change," she pleaded.

Pulling the ring box from his pocket, he dropped to his knee, presented the ring to her, and asked, "Olivia Carolyn Pope, will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my fiancée for the next four days?"

Oliva's brown orbs stretched wide with shock as she looked at Fitz in stunned silence. Although her brain processed Fitz's words and understood his proposal was fake, the rest of her body refused to cooperate and she struggled to calm her racing heart and the butterflies swarming in her stomach. She wanted to say something, anything, but she had temporarily lost the ability to breathe or form words. The ring was exquisite, elegant, yet stunning, extraordinary with an antique feel.

It was Fitz's turn to panic. "You hate it. I told Samuel we needed to go with a bigger stone. He insisted that your fingers were too petite and that anything larger than six carats would look garish. I knew I shouldn't have listened to him, especially not after how he treated you. I'm sorry, I know you hate surprises and this is a terrible surprise. Please, don't pretend to like it. You don't have to wear it."

When she was finally able to breath, Olivia placed her index finger across Fitz's lips to silence his ramblings. "Fitz," she said, fighting back tears, "it's beautiful."

"It pales in comparison to the beauty of the woman that I hope will wear it."

Uncertain what to do next, Olivia removed the ring from the box and placed it in her right palm. "It's heavier than it looks."

"Is that a problem?"

"No, just an observation." Everything that had transpired between them over the past four days was starting to feel like a fairy tale, with her staring as the peasant girl and as Fitz the charming prince. Every gesture he made was so grand, so completely over the top that she was struggling to keep touch with her reality. She reminded herself that this was pretend and in four days her carriage would turn into a pumpkin.

Determined not to lose Oliva to her thoughts, he pressed forward. "Will you wear it? For me?" Olivia's lips pulled back and she gave a small nod of agreement. Fitz took her left hand in his and grasped her bridal set between his fingers. "May I?" Again, Olivia nodded and watched as Fitz gently removed Jake's rings and placed them in the wooden ring box. With his bright blue eyes locked onto her soft chocolate ones, he held out his hand for her to return the ring to him. With the most enchanting smile he'd ever witnessed, Olivia dropped the ring into his palm. Without taking his eyes off hers, he guided the new ring to its proper place. Olivia longed to wrap her arms around him and pull him into a deep and slow kiss, but she knew she couldn't. That would be crossing the boundary she'd set for the weekend, a boundary she needed to prevent her from falling headlong into the abyss that was Fitzgerald Grant.

Completely overwhelmed, Olivia took a mental and physical step back, escaping the uncomfortable emotion and intimacy swirling around the pair. Staring at the ring now adorning her finger, she asked, "Am I perfect now?"

Fitz rose from his kneeling position and sat on the couch, motioning for her to join him. "You're perfect," he replied. "So, we're in this together?"

"We're in this together," she replied leaning her head against his shoulder and locking her fingers with his.

 **A/N: Thank you for all of the comments. It's very interesting and encouraging for me to read how differently people are responding to the story. The next four days will be interesting as Fitz and Olivia slip further and further into this pretend world that they are inhabiting. As always, I love to hear what you thought, liked, and disliked.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm baaaaacccccckkkk! Sorry to leave you for so long. I had a severe case of writer's block. I had the beginning and end of this chapter, but no idea how to join the two. I'm still not confident about the winding path I took, but I decided to stop obsessing and post what I have. My thanks to those who left comments encouraging me not to abandon the story. I hope the chapter was worth the wait.**

Olivia's eyes widened in amazement as the Merkles' Hamptons home came into view. The sixteen thousand square foot compound consisted of a three level main house with a putting green on the roof, cottage, pool house, custom swimming pool, spa, tennis court, and gardens. "This is their summer home?" she asked, the awe evident in her voice.

"Yes, their primary residence is a similar monstrosity outside of the city." Olivia fidgeted uncomfortably as she battled to maintain her composure and not give into her feelings of insecurity. Fitz reached over and placed his hand on top of hers, trying to calm her nerves. "It's OK to be impressed; the architect intended to wow you. The key is not to let the owners use its overwhelming presence to intimidate you."

"Easy for you to say. I bet you grew up in a house much like this."

"True, but I didn't have any say in the decisions my parents made. I live in a simple condo."

"Simple? Your _simple_ condo is twice the size of my house."

"Touché. The important thing is for you stay relaxed. Jean Merkle and the other wives will challenge you, try to prove that you don't belong."

"I don't belong," she whispered.

"You do. Most of them joined the group the same way you are, on the arm of a rich and successful businessman. You are an intelligent and sophisticated woman, every bit their equal. Any man in there, including myself, would be proud to call you his wife. The only difference between you and them is that you are younger and more beautiful, facts that will rankle them greatly. Just be yourself and stick as close to the truth as possible. If you find yourself in trouble, find me either physically or with your eyes and I'll come rescue you."

The car stopped in the circular driveway, near the front door. Olivia took a deep breath summoning her confidence. "What if I ruin this for you?"

"You won't." Fitz raised her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it before releasing it. "Stop worrying. What is it you always say when I give you an impossible assignment?"

"Consider it handled," she said with a bright smile.

"Right. Now, let's go handle this weekend," he said, knocking on the window to indicate to the driver they were ready to exit the vehicle.

Walking hand in hand, they approached the door to the main house. Olivia stood on the porch, anxiously smoothing and re-smoothing her dress. Fitz brushed Olivia's hair out of her face and kissed her temple. "Ready?" he asked, draping his arm casually around her waist.

Olivia gave him a slight nod. "Ready."

Fitz rang the doorbell. After a moment, the large door opened and a young Hispanic woman dressed in a black housekeeping dress greeted them. The woman escorted the couple through the foyer, across a long hallway, and into a large living room, where Stephen and Jean Merkle were holding court with three other couples. Fitz immediately recognized Robert White from Zyscovich Architects, Lucas Brownley from BBL Construction Services, and James Austin from Austin Industries. Along with Fitz and Stephen Merkle, these men represented five of the top design-build firms on the east coast.

The housekeeper politely approached Stephen Merkle and said, "Another couple has arrived."

Stephen thanked the housekeeper and looked in the couple's direction. "Fitzgerald Grant. How are you my boy?" Stephen asked, extending his hand to Fitz for a hearty handshake.

Fitz shook off his annoyance at being called boy and replied, "Fitz, please. Fitzgerald was my grandfather. Not even my father wants to be called Fitzgerald."

"How is Big Gerry these days? I must admit I was rather surprised when he told me that his son would be representing Grant Enterprises this year. Is there any truth the rumors that he's retiring?"

"My father is well. He's still the heart and soul of Grant Enterprises, but he has handed most of the day-to-day operations over to Cyrus and myself." Olivia cleared her throat softly, reminding Fitz that she was still standing beside him. Fitz turned to Olivia, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Where are my manners? Stephen Merkle, I would like to introduce you to my fiancée, Olivia Pope."

Olivia extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Merkle. You have a lovely home."

"Thank you, but my wife Jean deserves most of the credit. Please, call me Stephen." Turning back to the group seated on the couches, in a slightly elevated voice, he called, "Jean, come meet young Fitzgerald and his fiancée."

Olivia watched as an older woman, regal in bearing, rose and glided in their direction. Jean Merkle oozed old money from her perfectly coiffed hair to the tips of her perfectly pedicured toes. Jean was everything Olivia feared she would be and she felt like a graceless duckling in her presence. Fitz stepped forward to meet her, extending his hand toward her. Eschewing his hand, Jean pulled him in for a polite embrace before kissing both cheeks. "Fitzgerald, it's lovely to see you again."

Fitz returned to his position by Olivia's side. "Jean, I would like you to meet my fiancée, Olivia Pope."

"It's a pleasure to meet you dear," Jean replied, offering Olivia a limp hand. "I must admit I was rather intrigued when I received the news that Fitzgerald would be attending with his fiancée. Given how long Anne has waited for this wedding, I expected to receive your engagement announcement weeks ago."

Olivia smiled through her urge to grimace. She was prepared for a cool reception, but didn't expect Jean to throw shade within ten seconds of meeting her. "I'm afraid that's my fault," Olivia explained. "I lost both of my parents when I was a teenager and I don't have any other relatives to formally announce my engagement. Big Gerry and Anne have been most gracious and patient while Fitz and I figure out how we want to announce and celebrate our nuptials."

"Can you blame me for wanting to keep her all to myself for a while before losing her to my mom and all the wedding planning?" Fitz said, pulling her close. "I'm sure, if given the opportunity, my mom would plan a five hundred person wedding extravaganza. We're just not sure that's right for us."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, dear," said Jean. "This must be a time of mixed emotions."

"It is," Olivia replied with a sad smile.

"Come," Jean instructed as she headed in the direction of the others, "let's introduce you to the other couples and get you two a drink."

After being introduced to and mingling with the other couples, Fitz and Olivia found themselves alone at the bar, waiting for their drinks. "You didn't have to do that," he whispered.

"Do what?

"Use your parents that way. I was going to offer another explanation."

"You said to stick as close to the truth as possible. I didn't have an engagement announcement because I didn't have family to announce my engagement. You're just lucky Mellie's parents didn't announce your real engagement. There's no way I could pass for Melody Carmichael."

"I don't think they liked me much. They never said anything, but they never really warmed to me either. They will probably be relieved to learn that Mellie called off the engagement."

"Fitz Grant," a booming voice called out above the low murmur of conversation. Olivia watched as a tall, blond man in his early forties, with striking blue eyes quickly crossed the room and pulled Fitz into a big bear hug. "I heard you were sitting at the adults table this weekend. Did Big Gerry finally cave and give you control of the company?"

Fitz laughed heartily. "We both know the only thing my father ever _gave me_ was his name."

"And your trust fund," the man offered with a laugh.

"Yes, how dare I forget that? It's worth almost as much as his name. But, to answer your question, no, Big Gerry is still as in control as ever. Olivia and I are just standing in for my parents this weekend." Wrapping a possessive arm around Olivia's waist, he said, "Olivia Pope, I would like for you to meet Seth Merkle, Stephen and Jean's son and my college roommate. Seth, I'd like you to meet Olivia Pope, my fiancée."

Olivia held out her hand and he it took it, raising it to his lips. "I've been dying to meet the woman that finally convinced this scoundrel to settle down ever since mother told me he was attending with his fiancée," he said, continuing to hold her hand.

"I think you are misinformed," Olivia said, laughing. "I have no illusions about the man I've agreed to marry. I'm the one that had to be convinced," she said with a wink.

"This one has spunk. I like her."

"Yes, she does," Fitz offered with a laugh. "Now, would you like to return her hand?"

Olivia laughed and patted his chest with her newly freed hand. "Down boy," she teased, "must you be so alpha?"

"Take it easy on my friend. If you were my fiancée and Fitz was flirting with you, I would have responded the same way."

Olivia noticed the room had divided into several groups. The men were clustered in conversation on one side of the room; their wives were gathered on the opposite side engaged in a cheerful exchange; and Fitz, Olivia, and Seth were standing between the two.

Turning to Fitz, she said, "You should join Stephen and the other CEOs. I'll go make friends with their wives."

'Are you sure?" he asked, not comfortable with leaving her alone so soon.

"Relax, buddy. I'll escort her over there and introduce her to Tiffany and Amber, James' and Mark's second wives and the only women in that gaggle less than fifty years old." Fitz and Olivia snickered and Seth frowned. "I feel like I missed something."

"It's a long story for another day, but suffice it to say Tiffany or Amber is the reason why Olivia and I are here this weekend," Fitz said with a knowing smirk. "Will you be OK with Seth?" he asked Olivia.

"I'll be fine. I'm sure they won't be any worse than your mother. I'll find you if I need you."

Fitz feigned shock. "My mother adores you."

"She does now that I've agreed to make an honest man of you," she teased.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?"

Fitz's declaration caused Olivia to release a barely audible gasp. Now accustomed to Fitz's frequent compliments, she'd expected that sentence to end with how beautiful you are, not how much I love you. Quickly recovering, she cheekily replied, "Maybe once or twice, but it never hurts to hear it again."

Fitz dipped his mouth to hers, kissing her sweetly and said, "I love you." Olivia's palms dampened and her face flushed with heat. She knew they were pretending to be in love, but she never expected him to say the actual words. Why was her heart drumming so ridiculously hard? She silently studied Fitz's face for a clue as to where he was going with this act. There was a twinkle in his eyes and the hint of a smile at his lips. He was enjoying this, but she wasn't sure what part? Did he get off on making her squirm? Was there something more?

Before she could respond, Seth interjected, "I never thought I would see Fitzgerald Grant all misty-eyed about a woman. I thought you were a committed bachelor for life."

"I can't help it. I'm a man in love with an incredible woman."

"I don't even know how to respond to that. The only reasonable thing for me to do is abscond with Olivia before you completely destroy my dream of living a fulfilled life as a bachelor."

Fitz laughed, releasing Olivia from his embrace. "Keep an eye on this one," he said to Olivia as she moved away from him, "you wouldn't be the first of my girlfriends he's tried to steal."

"Are you ever going to let that go?" Turning to Olivia, Seth said, "Ignore him. It was twenty years ago and she wasn't his girlfriend. He never even took her on a proper date. You're perfectly safe with me."

Olivia smiled brightly at Fitz. "You go practice being a CEO and I'll go practice being a CEO's wife. I'll find you later." With that, they parted in pursuit of their respective groups.

Fitz watched Olivia as she and Seth approached the group of women. Her shoulders were tense and her smile was forced. _Come on, Liv_ , he silently implored her. _Relax. You can do this. All you have to do is be yourself and they will adore you the same way I do._ Olivia felt his gaze upon her and willed herself to settle down. Her eyes found his and she gave him a quick wink and a smile, before turning her full attention to the trio before her.

Confident she was settling in, Fitz took a couple of quick strides in the direction of the men. "Fitz, there you are," Stephen called. "Did Big Gerry tell you to bring your clubs?"

"I never leave home without them."

"Excellent. I was just telling the others that I have a couple of tee times reserved for us at ten o'clock tomorrow at the East Hampton Golf Club. I'd like you to play in my foursome."

Fitz suppressed the urge to groan. A mid-morning tee time meant he would be away from Olivia for most of the day. He was looking forward to spending time with her, wearing little more than a bikini, at the beach. Reminding himself that this was a business trip, not a vacation, he replied, "I'd be honored to, but I must warn you, I'm a scratch golfer."

"You Miami guys are spoiled by the year round golf. I'm convinced that's the reason your father never relocated the company to New York. He didn't want to give up his standing tee time. What about you Fitz, do you plan to spend your time in Miami or will you make a push for the New York market?"

Fitz didn't hear Stephen's question because he was distracted by the lilt of Olivia's laughter, causing him to turn in her direction. He smiled when he noted she'd joined the group of older women surrounding Jean and appeared to be entertaining them, most likely at his expense, with a funny story. _That's my girl._

Stephen followed Fitz's gaze. "She's a lovely girl."

"Excuse me?" Fitz asked, realizing that he hadn't heard a thing Stephen said after his invitation to play in his foursome.

"Olivia, she's a lovely girl. Do you think she's ready?"

"For what?"

"For life as an executive's wife. The two of you remind me of Jean and I when we were younger. We were so in love and thought that love would conquer everything. The truth is a successful marriage requires time and effort, son, and this life is incredibly stressful. The decisions you make impact the lives of the hundreds of people that work for you. You will be on call twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. I can see it in your eyes, you are an ambitious young man. I predict the New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and DC markets will tempt you. This means either you will relocate your company headquarters and your family or you will spend most of your time traveling up and down the east coast. You will spend more time with your colleagues and assistant than you will with your wife and family."

Fitz knew Stephen was speaking the truth. There was a reason why Fitz had remained single all this time. Real relationships required sacrifice and he was unwilling to make those sacrifices. While he was dating Mellie, she frequently dropped hints about his travel schedule and the negative impact it had on their relationship. She complained bitterly that he was more attentive to Olivia than he was to her. At the time, he dismissed Mellie's complaints, assuming she was jealous of Olivia's youth and beauty. He'd known from the moment he met Olivia that she was special, now he wondered if she was the type of woman that made those sacrifices worthwhile.

"All of this will place a unique stress on your young wife. There's a reason why Mark and James are married to women young enough to be their daughters. It takes a special woman to put up with men like us. Jean is one of those women. Is Olivia?"

Fitz looked over at Olivia, catching her with her head thrown back in mid-laugh, and then back to Stephen. "Yes, sir. I believe Olivia is one of those women. I'm not an easy man to love and I brought a lot of baggage into our relationship, but Olivia is the kind of woman that makes you want to be a better person. She is my friend and my partner. Together we make a formidable team. She is the reason why I'm here today and she's the reason why I will be the next CEO of Grant Enterprises."

Stephen looked in the direction of the women and smiled warmly when his eyes landed on his wife. "Your father believes you have the potential to be great, to accomplish more than he and your grandfather combined. Please hear me when I say that none of what I've built would have been possible without Jean. If Olivia is the woman you say she is then I suggest you hold on to her tightly and never let go. In business, if you lose one deal, there will always be another deal to make. You will only get one chance with a woman like that. Screw that up and nothing else you accomplish in life will matter."

Before Fitz could respond, they were interrupted by the sound of a knife clinking against a glass. "Friends," announced Jean, before pausing, allowing the individuals to move quietly through the room reuniting with their partners. "Stephen and I are so pleased that you were able to join us this weekend. Some of you have been joining us for years and, for some, it's your maiden trip. For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome, we are honored to host you. To everyone else, welcome back, we hope everything will be as you remember."

"Stephen and I started coming to the Hamptons about forty years ago. During the first year, Stephen spent more of his time on the phone and working, than he did with me. The second year, I invited one of his colleagues and his wife and he spent a little less time on working. Each year we've added more colleagues and each year Stephen and the others relaxed a little more. I remain hopeful that one year we will get through the entire weekend without Stephen and his colleagues picking up a phone or a laptop, but I can tell from the way that many of your thumbs are twitching that this weekend won't be the weekend." The crowd responded with a polite laugh. "The staff are in the hall waiting to show you to your rooms. Dinner will be served at eight o'clock. I hope you will use this time to relax and unwind rather than check-in with the office."

As soon as Jean stopped talking, the staff entered the room, each seeking out a different couple. A petite Haitian woman approached Fitz and Olivia. "Mr. Grant? Ms. Pope?" the woman asked in a delightful French accent.

"Yes," the couple replied in unison.

"My name is Esmeralda. If not need anything this weekend, I am here to help. Mrs. Merkle has selected a guest room in the cottage for you. Please, follow me."

Fitz and Olivia quietly followed Esmeralda down the lengthy hallway toward the cottage. The closer they got to the room the larger the nervous butterflies fluttering around Olivia's stomach grew. Why did the idea of sharing a room with him make her feel nervous and fidgety? Was she worried that once they were behind closed doors he would pressure her into his bed or that being in such close proximity to him would only heighten her temptation to give into the desire that swirled around them?

Fitz walked slightly behind Olivia, studying her every move carefully. He could see her uncertainty, the nervous tension building in her small body. He reached out to comfort her, but, when he touched her shoulder, she flinched, further confirming her discomfort. He dropped his hand and she turned to look at him. He silently raised a questioning eyebrow. Olivia shook her head, dismissing his unspoken question, and turned away from him. Fitz fell farther back, hoping she would find solace in the space.

Esmeralda led them up the stairs past a kitchenette and bar, through a living space, and into a guest bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. "The butler unpacked your clothes and the bathroom is fully stocked. If you need anything else, there's an intercom by the bed."

"Thank you," Fitz and Olivia said in unison.

Fitz looked around the room. It was painted a soft warm gray, and furnished with a striking white four-poster queen-sized bed, decorated with porcelain blue linens. The room also contained two nightstands, a tall dresser, a white English arm loveseat, and light blue armchair. _Fuck me_ , he thought unable to tear his eyes away from the bed. Was the universe conspiring against him this weekend? It was bad enough he had to spend three nights alone in this room with a beautiful woman he couldn't touch. Now he had to do so, with the image of Olivia naked on her back, spread-eagle, a limb tied to each of the four posts of the canopy while he feasted on her playing in a loop in his head.

Refocusing his attention on comforting Olivia, Fitz closed the door and turned to her. "Do you snore like a banshee?" he asked, trying to disarm her.

"What? No! Why?" she replied, surprised and confused by his question.

"Because you seem nervous about being in this room and the only reason I can think of is that you turn into a hideous monster while you sleep."

Olivia chuckled lightly. In a soft voice she added, "I've never shared a bed with a man other than my husband."

"And you won't start this weekend," Fitz interrupted. Olivia frowned and looked at the couch. Fitz followed her eyes. "You're my guest, you are not sleeping on the couch, Liv. You will take the bed."

"But, you're too tall to sleep on that small couch," she interrupted.

"I know. That's why I'm sleeping on the floor."

"You can't sleep on the floor for three nights. You won't be able to move by Saturday. I'm shorter. You take the bed and I'll take the couch."

"This isn't up for discussion. It's decided. You will take the bed and I'll sack out on the floor." Olivia usually chafed at someone, especially a man, telling her what to do, but there was something sexy about his decisive nature. He was clearly comfortable being in control and Olivia felt taken care of rather than controlled when he expressed the more dominant side of his personality.

Fitz observed Olivia as she began to move about the room, checking to see where the butler had placed things. She was more relaxed than she was when they entered the room, but not completely. There was still something bothering her. "The sleeping arrangements aren't the only thing you are worried about. Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing. I'm being silly. Everything will be fine."

"Liv, talk to me," he implored. "Haven't I earned your trust by now? If you tell me what's wrong we can figure out a way to fix it. This charade won't work if we're not believable as a couple and we're not believable if you flinch when I touch you."

"That was one time and the only person around was Esmerelda."

Fitz sat on the couch and patted the space beside him, inviting her to sit with him.

Olivia huffed as she walked toward him and sat beside him. "We're not a real couple. I'm just trying to figure out how I can maintain my boundaries while we share this space."

"What are your boundaries?"

"Fitz..." she hissed.

"I'm not challenging you. I just want to ensure we are on the same page."

"I'm married."

"What does that mean to you?"

"I'm not cheating on my husband with you," she spat, leaping to her feet and walking away from him.

"I'm not asking you to, but I also want to know where your boundaries are. Different couple define cheating differently. I don't want to inadvertently make you uncomfortable because you have a more conservative definition than I do."

"I've never had to define cheating. I've never put myself in a situation where it was a concern. But, now..." her voice trailed off.

"Now, you're worried that I won't respect your boundaries. That I will put you in a situation that threatens to compromise your values and beliefs. Liv, we have worked together for years and never once have I done that. I'm not some lecherous old man waiting to take advantage of you in a moment of weakness."

Olivia sighed. "I told you I was being silly. You haven't given me any reason to doubt your intentions. Can we just forget we ever had this conversation?"

"You aren't being silly. It's an important conversation to have. So, Liv, are you going to answer my question?" he asked, flashing her his trademark lopsided grin.

"I guess I would define cheating as any act of intimacy that would lead to sexual intimacy."

"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "You're painting with a broad brush. Any act of intimacy? _Any_? I've touched you. I've held you. I've kissed you. Have you been uncomfortable this whole time?" he asked, clearly alarmed by her response.

Olivia erupted into a fit of giggles. She slowly made her way back to him and settled on couch. "You're adorable when you're scrambling." She gently placed her hand on top of his to calm him. "All of that happened in a room full of people. There's no risk of sexual intimacy when we are in public. You haven't done anything to make me uncomfortable and I am reassured by your reaction that you won't."

Fitz chuckled nervously, a little embarrassed by his overreaction. "I promise not to walk around in a towel and I'll remember to lock the bathroom door so you won't be tempted to jump me while I'm in the shower."

Olivia dramatically raised the back of her hand to her forehead. "It'll be a challenge, but somehow I'll find a way to resist you."

"I'm glad that's settled," he said, walking over the dresser where his laptop was stored. He picked it up and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To the living room. I thought I would answer some emails while I wait for you to get ready for dinner."

"Fitz," she replied a bit exasperated. "You don't have to leave the room every time I have to change. There's plenty of space in the bathroom for me to get ready. I'm not worried about sharing this space with you."

Fitz walked toward her. "You are and that's fine," he said, reaching out and stroking her cheek tenderly. "I'm not insulted. It's our first day. We're still getting to know each other. Now, let me go check in with Charlotte and Neil. I need to make sure everything hasn't going to hell in our absence."

Acquiescing to his wishes, she headed toward the closet to select a dress for dinner. "You'll let me know if there's anything I can do?"

"Of course," he said smiling at her warmly before exiting through the door.

Olivia emerged from the bedroom ninety minutes later wearing a white, form-fitting one shoulder dress that stopped just below her knees with a pair of nude pointy toe pumps. She accessorized her outfit with a pair of rose gold drop hoop earrings and a rose gold diamond bangle bracelet with overlapping bands that played a quiet melody whenever Olivia moved her wrist.

Fitz felt her presence as soon as she entered the room. It was as if she was surrounded by a magnetic energy, drawing him toward her whenever she was near. It was a feeling he never felt before, but one he was certain he would miss when the weekend ended. He looked up at her, a grin flashing across his face as he took in the woman standing before him. He wondered if you ever got used to a beauty like hers. If they spent every day of the rest of their lives together, would he she ever, even for a single day, be ordinary? "I was starting to worry about you."

"I decided to take a quick nap while you worked," she said sheepishly. "What did I miss?" she asked, moving to be seated next to him.

"Nothing much. Michael and Neil are getting along again. The project should hit its next milestone on time and on budget, which should make Cyrus and my father happy. Patrick and his team are working on the designs for the Patterson Place project."

"The Patterson Place project?" she asked, Jake's angry words ringing in her ears. "I didn't know you were involved with that. Nothing came across my desk related to the project," she said suspiciously.

"Patrick's team won the bid earlier this week. You were out of the office preparing for this trip, so Charlotte has been coordinating things for me. Patrick's team will handle the design phase, but we will need to partner with another company for the construction phase. Maybe I can convince Seth he wants to spend the winter in Miami working with me rather than freezing his ass off in the city.

"And Charlotte? How is she holding up?"

"Well, she's not as skilled as my assistant, but, considering my assistant decided to take the week off with no notice and no time for training, I think she's holding up fine."

"Well, that was incredibly inconsiderate of your assistant," she said cheekily.

"I'm sure Charlotte agrees, but, this week without her I've learned that she's irreplaceable, so I'll probably give her a raise and bonus when she returns."

"Sounds like she's a lucky woman."

"I'm the lucky one," he said with a Cheshire cat grin. "I should go get showered and changed for dinner," he said, rising from the couch.

"I'll wait out here," she said, more a question than the statement it sounded like.

"You can, if you prefer, but it's not necessary," he said, walking into the bedroom and leaving the door open, an unspoken invitation for her to join him.

Olivia remained frozen on the couch, uncertain how to proceed. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, despite the situation they found themselves in, she believed him when he said that he respected her and her boundaries. If she was honest with herself, she knew the reason she was hesitant to be alone in that room was she wasn't sure she could trust herself. Simply being around him made her feel alive, wanted, and desired. She wasn't sure she'd be able to resist him if he ever touched her, the way she feared she wanted him to.

Slowly she rose to her feet and approached to the door to their room. She looked around the space and found it was empty. She approached the door to the ensuite and leaned against it, listening to the sound of his shower. Cautiously, she reached out for the doorknob, turning it slowly, careful not to make a noise. It didn't budge, the door was locked. Olivia sighed, her chest releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding. He was doing as he promised, leaving her as the only threat to her marriage. Olivia quickly and quietly crossed the room, closed the door, and sat in the armchair.

Fitz found her in that same place fifteen minutes later when he entered the bedroom. He was wearing a blue oxford shirt, navy trousers, and camel, leather oxford shoes, his towel dried curls freshly styled with a little product. Olivia looked up from her phone, "You clean up well."

"I'll do in a pinch. Besides, no one will be looking at me as long as I'm standing beside you."

Olivia rose and stood beside him so they could look at their reflection in the mirror. "You have to admit, we make a handsome couple."

"You're doing most of the heavy lifting. I'm just window dressing."

"Now, who can't take a compliment?"

"Come on beautiful," he said, grasping her hand in his. "Let's go before we are late for dinner."

After dinner, Fitz and Oliva took a leisurely tour around the first floor before joining Stephen and Jean in the study who were joined by Robert White, James Austin, and their wives. Fitz immediately noted that Lucas Brownley and the other executives from the construction firms were not included. Based on conversations with his father, Fitz expected the attendees to be executives from design-focused firms, Stephen's collaborators. He was surprised to find that the attendees also included executives from construction-focused firms, Stephen's competitors. This weekend was not at all what Fitz expected and he was hoping to Stephen would reveal his true intentions over after-dinner drinks.

The four couples chatted amicably about topics ranging from business, current events, and upcoming vacation plans. Fitz and Olivia fell into a comfortable rhythm, easily bantering with the other couples, sometimes sharing true stories about their business adventures or making up adventures about their lives as a couple. It amazed Olivia how easy it was to be with to Fitz, how believable they both were as a couple. Fitz and Olivia listened intently as the other couples reminisced about their early days.

Eventually, the conversation turned to them when Jean asked, "So, how did you two young lovebirds meet?"

Olivia and Fitz looked at each other with mild panic in their eyes. They were so distracted by the events that unfolded earlier in the day that they never had a chance to settle on an answer to that question. Stalling, Fitz asked, "Do you want to do the honors or should I?"

Olivia smiled at him endearingly. "I think it's a better story from your perspective. Don't you agree? You should tell it."

Fitz chuckled at how adroitly Olivia avoided the situation, leaving it to him to make something up. He remembered his earlier instruction to Olivia to stick as close to the truth as possible and started to tell the story. "Well, I have Bob to thank for bringing this lovely woman into my life."

"Me?" Robert White asked with surprise. "I don't recall meeting Olivia before today."

"You have," Fitz said with a knowing smile, "you just don't remember. You came to Boston to recruit upcoming graduates from the GSD for your firm. You met with a larger group during the day, but invited a select group of us to dinner that night at The Capital Grille."

Bob replied, "I vaguely remember the dinner. I must have attended twenty or so of those over the years, but I am quite positive I never tried to recruit Olivia to my company. There aren't a lot of African-American women at these dinners. I'm sure I would have remembered her."

"She wasn't a student, well, at least not at Harvard, she was the server. When she approached the table, I was awed, as were the rest of my fellow classmates, and immediately enchanted by the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I didn't believe for a moment she was just a waitress. I assumed she had to be an actress or model, waiting tables until she caught her big break. Knowing my father as well as I'm sure you all do, I immediately suspected Big Gerry had something to do with her sudden appearance in my life. He wanted me to come work at Grant Enterprises, but I was determined to make my own name at another company, away from the heavy veil of his shadow. It wasn't unlike him to try to sabotage my interview with Zyscovich Architects by bribing the restaurant manager to assign their most attractive waitress to our table to distract me so I wouldn't get the job and would be forced to work for him.

"So…I made the worst decision of my life and focused all of my energy on trying to impress Bob and totally ignored Olivia. I was polite and courteous, of course, but didn't attempt to get her attention or win her affection. I didn't even pay attention when she introduced herself. After the dinner, I doubled back to the restaurant to find her, but I was told she had already left. I did eventually convince the hostess to tell me her name, but she would only give up her first name. There are more than four million people in the Greater Boston area, it was impossible for me to find the right Olivia, my Olivia. I ate at The Capital Grille every night for the next two weeks hoping to get another chance, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be."

"To add further insult to injury, I didn't get the job and, I later learned, that my classmate that got the job also got the girl. The only silver lining in this sad tale is that Olivia followed him to Miami, where we were reunited by happenstance nearly fifteen years later. I will never forgive myself for wasting so much time. After we started dating, I vowed that I would never again place professional advancement over family," Fitz said, reaching over to grab Olivia's hand. "I know exactly how lucky I am to have her in my life and I will never risk losing her again."

"Well," Jean said, clasping her hands. "I'm not one to believe in fate. I believe people are in control of their own destinies, but I have to admit the two of you being reunited by chance fifteen years after your initial encounter sounds like a bit of fate a work. It must feel like the two you are destined to be together."

Olivia looked at Fitz intently. He had some explaining to do. How did he know that story? She was confident she never told him and the only other person that knew the story was Jake. Trying to focus, Olivia grabbed his hand, gently stroking the back of his hand with his thumb. "I like to believe that fifteen years ago wasn't our time, that we weren't ready to be together then. We were both young, still finding our way. I was about to turn nineteen, only half way through my freshman year at Boston College. Fitz was six months away from graduating and we now know his future success was born out of the disappointment of not being able to start his career the way he wanted, as his own man rather than his father's son."

Bob turned to Stephen and asked, "After all these years he still doesn't know? Does he?"

"I don't know what?" Fitz asked.

Bob looked at him and replied, "You were never going to get the job at Zyscovich Architects, Merkle Industries or any other firm on the east coast." Fitz bristled at Bob's words, leaning forward and crossing his arms defensively. "Relax, Fitz, it wasn't because you were undeserving. You were the most talented architect in your class. Under different circumstances, all of us would have been in a bidding war to recruit you." Olivia watched as a wave of confusion washed across Fitz's face, soon followed by hurt and disappointment. She leaned against him, wrapping her arm around his waist, hoping her proximity would give him comfort.

"But you weren't just any stellar graduate from the GSD; you were Fitzgerald Grant, III, the assumed heir to Grant Enterprises. Big Gerry made it clear that he would spend the rest of his career underbidding every project we worked on if any of us dared to make you an offer. He would rather go bankrupt than have his son work for any firm other than his."

"I invited you to dinner as a courtesy because I believed you deserved to be included, but I knew at the onset there was nothing you could do to make hiring you worth the risk. Little did I know that Cupid was using me to introduce you to the woman you would eventually fall in love with and plan to marry. I may have hired someone else, but you were the big winner that night."

The group chatted for twenty additional minutes, the men mostly about their morning golf plans and handicaps while the women about their corresponding plans for a day of leisure and pampering at the spa, before Stephen announced that he and Jean were retiring to their room.

"Join me for a walk around the property?" Fitz asked, his eyes pleading for her cooperation.

"Of course," Olivia replied.

They walked in silence, allowing the sound of the ocean waves crashing into the shoreline and the feel of the salt air against their bare skin soothe away the tension from the evening. Olivia stepped forward, a gust of cool ocean wind causing her to shiver. Fitz stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing the front of his body against the back of hers. She leaned back into him, allowing him to support her weight. "Are you okay?"

Fitz leaned his chin down, resting it on the top of her head and breathed in the scent of her. "I don't know. It's not every day you learn that your father is a lying bastard that tried to sabotage your life."

"Did he?" she asked earnestly.

"Did he what?"

"Try to sabotage your life."

"What else would you call it? He knew I didn't want to work for him, that I wanted to make my own name in our field, but he couldn't stand the idea of not being in control. He actually threatened to bankrupt Bob and others if they offered me a job."

"I think he did you a favor."

"What?" he asked incredulously, spinning her around to face him.

"Think about it Fitz. You're about to become CEO of one of the top design-build firms on the east coast. You will be at least twenty years younger than the CEOs at the other top firms. Your father has groomed you from the first day at the company to one day take over for him. That day is now."

"My father is an ass," he said, acting like a petulant child.

"Maybe, but he has spent most of his adult life building Grant Enterprises so he could one day leave it to you. Your father is a young man. The same age as Bob and Stephen. He doesn't have to retire now. He could continue working for at least another decade. He's choosing to retire now to give you an advantage over your competition. It will be at least ten years before their executive leadership turns over. By that time, you will have established yourself as a leader in the field. Ten years from now no one will think of you as Big Gerry's son. You'll be Fitzgerald Grant, CEO and mastermind behind the rise of Grant Enterprises as a dominate force in the New York, Boston, and DC markets."

Fitz pulled Olivia into a smothering embrace. He rested his face against the top of her head, hiding the pained expression of longing from her view. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Olivia pulled away from his embrace and quickly retreated inside herself. Fitz, sensing that she was bothering by more than his words, stepped away from her and asked, "You seem to be getting along well with some of the wives, how much of that is real?"

"Tiffany and Amber are completely vapid, but I didn't expect much from women married to men more than thirty years older than they are. They are obviously trophy wives and the other women resent them for it. The other wives are polite, but they are slow to warm up to me. I'm trying, but I think they are rightfully suspicious of women under the age of forty. I like Jean, but it feels like she is auditioning me for a role, only I'm not sure what it is. If we weren't supposed to be engaged, I would suspect she was testing my suitability as a partner for Seth, but that doesn't make sense."

"Nothing about this weekend is making sense so far. My father told me that this weekend was Stephen's way of thanking his collaborators for a successful year and to strategize about upcoming projects and future opportunities, but that doesn't explain why Lucas and James are here. They are his competitors, why would they be included at his company's unofficial strategy and partner building weekend?"

"There must be something else. Did you talk to your father? Did he have any insight on the combination of collaborators and competitors?"

"I called him while you were in the bedroom, but he didn't answer. I'll try again when we get back to the room."

Fitz walked ahead, while Olivia lagged behind, lost in her thoughts. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever it is that spooked you."

"I'm not spooked."

"Something's bothering you. You're doing a good job of hiding it, I don't think anyone else noticed, but I can tell. You're not the same quietly confident woman that sat beside me at dinner.

"I thought you and Jake weren't friends in graduate school," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We weren't. The GSD has more than eight hundred students. Ballard and I were in some of the same classes and sometimes the same group, but we weren't friends. Why?"

"If you weren't friends, how did you know that story, the story of how Jake and I met?"

Fitz stopped walking and turned to face her. He used his index finger to gently tilt her face up, forcing her curious and doubtful eyes to meet with his sparkling orbs. "Every word of that story was true except one. We didn't meet by happenstance fifteen years later, it was eleven year later."

Olivia moved her head, breaking their connection before ambling away from Fitz. This revelation gave new context to everything she had been feeling for the past week. Had every emotion he provoked in her been intentional? If so, what was his motivation? Was he trying to make up for a lost opportunity or was this weekend the culmination of an eleven-year revenge plot against her husband? And, if it was the former, how would she get through the weekend without violating her promise to return to Jake unaffected by the weekend?

Discomforted by her silence, he spoke, "Liv, say something, do something, anything, please."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.

"What difference would it have made? You're happily married to him, right?" he asked, unable to mask his jealously. "You didn't remember me. I obviously didn't make the same impression on you as you did on me. Telling you would have only complicated our relationship. I meant what I said, I know exactly how lucky I am to have you in my life. I wouldn't do anything to risk losing you."

Olivia closed her eyes and sighed. "Why tell me now?"

"Jean asked us how we met and we didn't have a script, so I just told the truth. Plus, the last four days have already complicated our relationship. I wanted you to know that I was being sincere. It was true then and it's true today, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and that's not even among your five best qualities."

Fitz longed to hold her, but he remained still. Olivia was like a skittish animal, it took time for her to build trust. He knew she was now questioning the trust he had worked hard all day to build. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her wild eyes darting around, looking for an escape.

Fitz ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Nothing. You are not the girl the guy gets at the end of the movie. You are not a fantasy. This weekend is not about what could have been. It's about what is. You're married and I'm your boss. This weekend is about us moving into the CEO suite after my father retires. Our engagement may be fake, but our partnership is real and we will fail this weekend if we don't start trusting each other."

Olivia visibly relaxed. "Did you really eat at The Capital Grille for two consecutive weeks?"

Fitz chuckled. "I did. I had every entrée on the menu, some of them twice. The food is excellent, not as good as J.C.'s, but excellent nonetheless." He paused for a moment. There was a question he wanted answered, but he was afraid of her reaction. Cautiously, he asked, "Where did you disappear to that night and why didn't you return to work?"

"I didn't disappear. I just asked Rebecca, the hostess, to tell anyone looking for me that I left."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because every guy at your table, including Bob, tried to hit on me and some of them weren't used to being told no."

"Not every guy," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Only because you couldn't find me," she teased. "Like I was saying," she continued. "That night was my last night at the restaurant. I was only working there to save up money for a Namibia safari, my Christmas gift to myself. The asshole trustee my parents left in charge of my trust funds wouldn't give me the money, so I got a job. My flight to Namibia left the next day. Waiting on your table was supposed to be a goodbye gift of sorts from my manager. The Harvard recruitment dinners were some of the most popular among the staff because the large parties and expense accounts generally meant big tips, especially for the female servers. That night was the best night I had in the four months I worked there. Bob is a very generous tipper."

It wasn't lost on Olivia that had she not asked Rebecca to lie for her, the life she was pretending to have could actually be hers. She pushed the thought from her head and chastised herself for being a silly romantic. Even if he found her that night, there was no reason to believe their fling would have ended any differently than any of his others. Fitzgerald Grant was an incredibly seductive and charming man, but he hadn't given her any reason to believe he was capable of long-term commitment and fidelity.

The universe was a cruel bitch, Fitz thought. Change one small thing here or there and his life would have been completely different. If the GSD recruitment dinner had been one day earlier, she would have been working when he came back the next night to find her. Maybe they would have talked, maybe he would have joined her in Namibia, maybe they would have fallen in love. If the GSD recruitment dinner had been one day later, they never would have met and he would have been blissfully unaware of the difficulty of having her in his life but not being able to have her.

"It's been a long day and I'm beat. I'm going to head up to the room. Will you give me fifteen minutes before joining me?"

"As you wish," Fitz said, watching her walk toward the main the house, afraid that she'd left their conversation more spooked than she was when they started it.

The next morning, Fitz was snatched out of his sleep when he heard a thud followed by a slew of profanities coming from Olivia's mouth.

Fitz lifted his head from his pillow, rubbed his eyes, and sleepily asked, "What time is it?"

"It's early. I'm sorry. I was trying not to wake you," she replied, hobbling around the room, trying to walk off the pain of her stubbed toe.

Realizing that Olivia was partially dressed, he asked, "Where are you going?"

"For a run. You can get in the bed if you want. I'm sure the floor is uncomfortable." Olivia moved towards the door.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?" she asked, quickly checking that she had everything she needed.

"Your shirt," he stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Olivia frowned; she was wearing a peach Victoria Secret knockout sports bra, a gray pair of Athleta run shorts, and matching peach and gray Asics trainers. "Why would I need a shirt? It's a beach. I have bathing suits more revealing than what I'm wearing now. But," she said, quickly walking to the dresser and removing a gray jogger's jacket from one of the drawers, "you are correct, it's immodest to walk through another woman's house dressed like this when her husband's home." Olivia quickly slipped on the jacket and zipped it closed.

While she was putting on her jacket, Fitz noticed her bare left hand. "Where's your ring?"

"In the case with the rest of my jewelry. My fingers swell when I run. I'll put it back on when I return."

"Give me five minutes to change, brush my teeth, and stick my head under the faucet and I'll join you," he said, already moving from the floor to the dresser in search of his athletic wear.

"Fitz, really, you don't have to come. I'll be fine."

"No shirt and no ring…I'm definitely joining you," he said walking toward the bathroom.

"Don't tell me you're one of those Neanderthal men that believes his partner is his possession."

"Of course not," he said, pausing in the bathroom entrance. "You are free to come and go as you please, but if you are going to insist on leaving the house wearing that, I'm going to insist on accompanying you, if for no other reason than to enjoy the view."

Olivia playfully tossed his pillow at his head. "Hurry up. I want to watch the sunrise while we run." While Fitz was in the bathroom, Olivia took the opportunity to return the blankets and pillows he used the night before to the bed.

Fitz emerged from the bathroom and found Olivia facing away from him, arranging the blankets on the bed. He stood for a minute appreciating the view of her rounded buttocks and toned legs as she reached across the bed for something. Remembering that his running shorts would not provide much camouflage, he interrupted her, "You don't have to clean up behind me."

Startled, Olivia quickly twisted around to face him. His hair was damp and he was dressed in a Nike running tank and shorts that did little to hide the sculpted muscles that rippled in his chest, arms, and legs. Olivia swallowed hard and allowed her eyes to slowly travel the length of Fitz's body. She knew he worked out, but she had woefully underestimated the body that, heretofore, had been hidden by his clothes. He was Adonis personified.

Fitz's lips twisted into a beautifully wicked grin. "See something you like?" he flirted, his sparkling blue eyes making filthy promises she was sure he could keep.

"Not too bad for an old man," she quipped.

"Old man? I just turned forty in May."

"I know exactly how old you are," she said, placing more emphasis than needed on the word old. "Come on, we're going to miss the sunrise."

Fitz and Olivia quietly made their way out of their room, down the stairs to the cottage, and exited onto the grounds. They made their way over to the pool area and stopped in front of one of the sunbathers. Olivia quickly removed her jogging jacket and began to stretch. Fitz suspected the playful little minx was intentionally torturing him by twisting her taut little body in positions that made his dick twitch. Determined to make her as uncomfortable as she was making him, Fitz whipped off his shirt and ran a hand through his damp curls, the movement causing his abs to ripple.

When he looked down, she saw Olivia was staring at his chest and abs, subconsciously chewing on her bottom lip. God, he was gorgeous. His body all well-toned muscle concealed by flawless, tight, tanned skin covered by a thin layer curly brown hair. "What are you doing?" she stammered, "Why are you taking off your shirt?"

"It's a beach remember. You're not wearing a shirt, why should I? Now, are we going to stand here and stare at each other or are we going to run?"

Olivia sprinted in the direction of the path to the beach. "Hope you can keep up old man," she called over her shoulder.

Fitz raced in her direction, his long strides allowing him to catch up with her easily. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not old, I'm experienced? If you let me, I'm sure I could teach you a thing or two," he said with a wink, sprinting in front of her. Olivia quickly caught up to him and he slowed down, allowing her to set their pace. Olivia relaxed, settling into a leisurely pace, jogging just out of the reach of the lapping waves.

The two of them ran in comfortable silence, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the mostly empty beach as they watched the sun rise over the ocean. They enjoyed the sound of the crashing waves, the ocean's breeze, and the screeching seagulls as they dove into the water, searching for food. Occasionally, they would pass other couples and exchange a brief wave and polite greeting, but mostly it was just the two of them alone, surrounded by nature's beauty.

After jogging for about twenty minutes, Olivia's voice cut through the quiet, "We're about two miles in. Do you want to turn around?"

"I have another four miles in me if you want to keep going."

"Are you sure? I know you hate running."

"I do, but I'm enjoying being out here with you. I'm in no hurry to get back to the house. I don't know what's more beautiful you or the beach. "

"You are full of shit Grant, but I can see why women find you irresistible. I'm covered in sand and sweat and you pick this time to turn on the charm."

"I wish you could see yourself through my eyes."

"You've had some of Miami's most beautiful women in your bed. You'll have to forgive me if I don't swoon every time you pay me a compliment," Olivia lied. The truth was his frequent compliments were starting to wear down her defenses. Being around him made her feel confident, adored, and secure, emotions she hadn't experienced simultaneously since her mother died. She was starting to enjoy being with him far too much, but was losing her will to fight against these feelings.

"Maybe you should."

"Excuse me?"

"You just said it yourself, I've been with some of the most beautiful women in one's of America's sexiest cities. That should qualify me as an expert on beauty. Even stripped down and covered in sweat and sand, you are a very beautiful woman."

"I liked you better when you were silent," she teased, sprinting away from him.

Forty minutes later, Fitz was elated to see the Merkles' summer home in the distance. Olivia was jogging along easily, but Fitz's muscles were burning from exertion. He was so tempted by the sight of her barely covered body that he ignored how much he hated running, especially running on sand.

"First one to the house showers first," she cried as she dead sprinted past him toward the path from the beach to the house. Fitz groaned and took off after her. This woman was going to be the death of him. It only took 30 yards for Fitz to catch up to her. Determined, to beat her, he grabbed her waist and swung her around, intending to disorient her and deposit her behind him, ensuring an easy victory for himself. However, when spinning around, he noticed a figure standing on one of the main house balconies.

"I think we have an audience," he said, gently placing her on the ground.

"Who?"

"It's hard to tell from this distance, but I think it's Jean Merkle."

Kicking off her socks and shoes and running toward the water's edge, Olivia asked, "Do you want to give her a show?"

Fitz removed his socks and shoes and darted after her. "Usual rules, I'll follow you wherever you take me." Olivia was calf deep in the ocean when Fitz reached the water's edge. When she felt he was close enough, she playfully kicked in his direction, covering him with salty water. "So you want to play?" he asked, charging in her direction.

Predicting his movement, Olivia got a half-second jump on him and slipped out of his reach. He quickly caught up to her, easily lifting her small body in his arms and threatened to throw her in the water. "Fitz, stop," she cried through a fit of giggles. "You're all sweaty. Put me down."

"Oh, you're going down," he said, wading deeper into the water.

Sensing he was serious, she began to struggle in his arms, "Fitz, no, wait, I'm sorry" she pleaded. Fitz raised her body higher in the air, preparing to toss her in. "Wait," she cried, in mock distress, "my hair, you can't get it wet."

"Black women and their hair," he scoffed, lowering her to the ground.

"What do you know about black women and their hair?"

"I told you, I've dated women of all ethnicities. I know exactly how long it takes you to straighten your hair after it gets wet. It's quite a production," he said, turning to return to the shallow end. Olivia looked out to the horizon and noticed a large wave coming their way. Coordinating her movements perfectly, Olivia jumped on his back at the exact moment the wave crashed into his body, both collisions caused him to lose his footing, pulling them both into the warm, salty water.

Fitz jumped up sputtering, pulling Olivia up with him. "Now, what were you saying about black women and their hair?" she teased.

"Come here, you," he said pulling her toward him. Olivia jumped in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Without a second's hesitation, she pressed her lips against his. His body stiffened when she slid her tongue along the seam of his lips, begging for access to his mouth. Olivia hesitated, fearing she had led him somewhere he was unwilling to follow. Sensing her uncertainty, Fitz released a guttural moan, opening his mouth and granting her access. Gently she eased her tongue into his mouth, slowly exploring the warm, wet cavern before engaging his tongue in a sensual dance.

For two days, Fitz had been driven to distraction by thoughts of what it would be like to hold her like this, kiss her like this. Now that she was finally in his arms, her small body pressed flush against his, he was determined not to spook her. He fought his instinct dominate her mouth with his, opting instead to let her control the kiss, to let her lead him.

Olivia pulled away from him just long enough to catch her breath before recapturing his lips with hers. She buried her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck, luxuriating in the feel of his wet curls between her fingers. Humming in satisfaction, she eagerly swallowing his moans of pleasure caused by the feeling of her nails gently grazing his scalp.

Olivia pressed her body against his, the feel of her restrained, but perfect breasts against his bare chest causing him to groan with satisfaction. His strong arms moved from around her to waist to underneath her thighs, his hands cupping her butt. She shivered in his arms when he began to knead her tight muscles, moaning as he pushed her tongue back with his own. Unable to take it any longer, he consumed her, pulling her impossibly close and taking her mouth in a series of sloppy, openmouthed kisses. He poured every ounce of frustration from the previous days into kissing her, his body communicating the feelings he was forbidden from acknowledging.

Caught up in his desire, he inadvertently lowered her body so that she could feel his erection pressed against her core. She quickly pulled away from him, her eyes wide with shock. Panting, he stared at her as he eased her legs down from his waist and placed her gently on the ground. "Shit, Liv, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I wasn't trying to…" he stuttered, desperate to explain.

"I know," she said reassuringly. "I was just…surprised, by how responsive your body was."

Slightly embarrassed, he responded, "It's not usually. It's been four days."

"You say that like four days is a long time."

"For me, it is. I think I just got carried away in the moment. It won't happen again. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize. You weren't expecting me to kiss you like that. I think we both got a little carried away." Her eyes flicked in the direction of the main house. "It looks like Jean is back inside. We should head back and get cleaned up before breakfast," she said, walking back toward the beach.

"Liv," he called, grabbing her hand and turning her to face him. "Are we OK?"

"We're fine. These things happen," she said with a shrug. "We're both adults. We can handle this." She intertwined her fingers with his and pulled him closer to her. He released her hand and wrapped his arm possessively around her waist. They walked in silence back to the main house, both working overtime to ignore how real the pretending was starting to feel.

 **A/N: Well, well, well…Fitz's charm offensive is starting to wear down Olivia's walls. Will he breakthrough or will her defenses hold? What really happened that night in the restaurant? Did Fitz meet the love of his love or a conquest fifteen years in the making? What about Olivia? What if is the most dangerous question a person can ask herself. Does Fitz's revelation about a past encounter she doesn't remember make her question the decisions she's made? As always, I'm eager to read what your thoughts and what you liked and disliked.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: My apologies in advance for any errors you may find. I had a tiny window of time this evening and I decided to use it to proofread and post this chapter today rather than wait until I had more time later in the week. I hope you don't find them too distracting from the story.**

After six and half hours of golf and lunch at the club, Fitz was elated when Stephen announced that he would be in the first car back to the house. Thoughts of Olivia had distracted him all day as he ping ponged between elation at the memory of what it felt like to finally have her in his arms, her lips pressed against his, and despondency at the way the morning ended. He had scolded himself repeatedly for his lapse in judgement. Olivia was light as a feather, there was no reason for him to lose his grip and to allow their bodies to connect in that way. The only possible excuse was his delirium in the moment made him forget that he was holding his skittish assistant rather than his incredibly desirable fiancée.

Fitz was the first out of the car and into the house, trying, but failing, to hide his eagerness to be reunited with her. He rushed into the living room, finding a group of women, but no sign of Olivia. Encouraged that the wives had returned from their morning at the spa, he ventured down the hallway toward the cottage and bounded up the stairs two at a time until he reached the floor where they were staying. He opened the bedroom door and was disappointed when he didn't find her or any clue where she may be. Deciding she must be outside by the pool or at the beach, he quickly descended the stairs and headed toward the patio. Once outside, he saw three figures lounging by the pool. From this distance, he was unable to determine exactly who these women were, but one pair of legs were darker than the other two. Assuming this figure was Olivia, he quickly crossed the expansive lawn in her direction.

He found her poolside, stretched out on a sunbather, wearing a white halter crochet bikini, her eyes hidden behind large dark sunglasses, wireless earbuds tucked in her ears. From three feet away, there was no mistaking the hunger in his gaze and the tension in his body as he stood there silently, allowing his eyes to roam over her body, delighting in the newly revealed skin. "Hello ladies," he directed to the three women.

"Hello, Fitz," Tiffany and Amber replied in unison, their body language just flirty enough to draw Olivia's ire.

She looked at him expectantly, relaxing fully into the sultry persona she adopted when she was with him. There was something liberating about the person he allowed her to be. He had no expectations for who she would be or what she would do. With him, she had no responsibilities and there was no expectation of reciprocity. She was free to take only what she wanted from him and he had repeatedly demonstrated that there were no limits to his generosity. Being with him was like careening down a curvy mountain road without guardrails. The wild ride was euphoric, tempting you to push the limits further and further, but you knew if you weren't careful you would end up in a fiery crash at the bottom of a ravine.

"Hi," he said in a breathy whisper, his voice washing over her like a warm caress. How could he make two letters and one syllable sound like a lover's sonnet? Olivia fought to maintain her composure as memories of how it felt to be in his arms flooded her. Her body tingled as she recalled the softness of his kiss, the firmness of his muscles pressed against her softness areas, the tension in his hands as he kneaded her aching muscles, and the bulge in his shorts pressing against where she craved him most. "Well, if it isn't my very own Dustin Johnson. Did you win?" she teased.

He looked at her with a devilish twinkle in his eye and a wide grin, "If I decide to play, I plan to win," he said, the double entendre pouring from his lips in a rich, deep baritone that sent shivers down her spine. "I thought you hated golf?"

"I do, but I'm a sports fan in general and, now that I've gotten to experience it up close and personal, I'm starting to develop a fondness for you in golf clothes," she said taking a moment to appreciate the way he filled out his clothes in all the right ways. Fitz watched as she slowly traced her upper lip with her tongue. She knew exactly what she was doing and the effect it was having on him, the only unknown was exactly what she expected him to do about it. He cautiously sat beside her, his hip brushing against her thigh, searching her eyes for some sign of her intentions.

Olivia removed her sunglasses and boldly returned his gaze, not shrinking from the intensity in his steely blue eyes. For three days she had patiently played by his rules, rules she knew he created to protect her, but she was tired of it. Fitz had lectured her numerous times about the importance of them being believable as a couple, but there was nothing believable about him being the submissive partner. If he wanted something from her, he was going to have to prove he could take it. This weekend would only work if they learned to dance with him leading, but her controlling their movements.

Challenged by the daring look in her eye, but cautioned by the hint of uncertainty in her body language, he leaned forward and tentatively brushed his lips across hers. "I missed you."

"Show me."

He was tempted to scoop her in his arms and carry her back to their room where he would spend the rest of the afternoon giving her exactly what she asked for until her body couldn't take anymore. Instead, he settled for gently caressing her cheek, holding her face in place before lowering his face to hers. Olivia closed hers eyes, tilted her head back, and waited for him to cover her lips with his own. Fitz inched forward until he was so close she feel his humid breath on her face but, instead of kissing her, he whispered, "Is this what you want?" Olivia's eyes shot open, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she shuddered with anticipation.

Her reaction was all the permission he needed. He touched his lips to hers and kissed her deeply, but tenderly. Ignoring his own need and the desire to consume her welling up inside him, he kissed her lovingly and patiently, her pleasure his only concern. Slowly, he parted her lips with his tongue, taking the time to explore every crevice of her mouth. She captured his tongue and sucked on it gently, tasting the remnants of alcohol and tobacco from earlier in the day.

She pulled away from him, putting just enough distance between them to focus on his face. "You've been smoking without me," she pouted.

Fitz shifted position on the sunbather so that he was stretched out beside her, his body parallel to hers. "If it helps at all, you should know that the image of these," he said, slowly dragging his index finger across her lips, "wrapped around a cigar destroyed my game for at least three holes." Olivia threw her head back, her lips parted slightly, the melody of her laugh escaping her lips. He seized the opportunity, crashing his lips down on hers as he claimed her fiercely and intensely as his own.

She returned his kiss, their tongues engaged in a sensual dance, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him closer. Slowly, Tiffany, Amber, and everything else slipped away until all that was left was the two of them and their desire for each other. She buried her fingers in his curls, eliciting a series of moans that she swallowed eagerly. He ran his hand along her bare thigh before grabbing her hip firmly, turning her toward him, careful to avoid connecting their bodies. Olivia moved toward to him and hooked her right leg over his hip, pulling him closer and holding him in place. He grinned wickedly against her lips, imagining all of the dirty things he could do to her in this position.

He traced the curve of her spine with his fingers, memorizing the way her body responded to his touch. He was tempted to loosen the ties on her top and expose the parts of her he was eager discover, but he refrained, remembering they were in public. Shifting his attention, he lowered his hands to her bikini bottoms, his palms smoothing over the rounded curve of her rear.

Olivia's body hummed in his arms, betraying her secret. She was no longer pretending, she wanted him in a way that no married woman should. Fitz longed to take her somewhere more private where they could surrender to what was happening between them, but feared that once things became undeniably real she would flee.

They were so caught up in each other that they didn't hear the approaching footsteps. "Fitz, there you are," Seth interrupted.

"Go away," Fitz growled, breaking their kiss. "I'm busy." Much to Olivia's surprise, he returned his focus to her, planting a series of feathery kisses along her jawline from her chin to her ear. He pulled her earlobe into his mouth, nipping it with his teeth mildly disappointed when his actions failed to elicit a response.

"My father wants to speak with you."

Fitz removed his lips from her skin only long enough to say, "Tell him you couldn't find me." Continuing his assault to Olivia's body, he moved on, pressing his lips to her pulse point and sucking gently, chuckling softly when she mewled his name.

"It's about the Patterson Place project. I told him you were looking for a subcontractor. We may be able to help."

Groaning, Fitz tore himself away from Olivia, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I just spent six hours with your father. Now, I'm spending time with my very sexy fiancée. I'm sure your father would approve. Can't this wait a few hours?"

"Come on Fitz," Seth complained. "You live in Miami. Olivia poolside in a bikini, while extremely tempting, must be an everyday occurrence. You're the one that submitted a bid committing resources you don't have. We're offering you a solution. Do you want it or not?"

Olivia reached up and kissed Fitz on the cheek. "Go," she urged. "I'll be here when you when you get back."

"Yes, Fitz," Seth mocked, settling onto the sunbather adjacent to Olivia's. "Go. We'll be here when you get back."

Fitz eyed Seth suspiciously, not wanting to leave him alone with Olivia. He casually reached for Olivia's cover-up and handed it to her. "Meet me in our room in thirty minutes?" he asked, more a statement than a question.

"Whatever you want," she replied cheerily, pulling her cover-up over her head, smoothing it over her body before putting on her sunglasses.

"Where's your father?"

"In the study waiting for you."

Fitz took one final glance at Olivia, already dreading separating from her. "Do you need anything before I go?"

"I'm fine. I'll see you in the room soon." Fitz pulled her toward him and kissed her good-bye.

As he was turning to walk away, he heard Seth call out to him, "What, no kiss for me?" Fitz looked back and flipped him the bird, trudging in the direction of the main house.

Fitz entered the house and headed in the direction of the study. The door was open so he rapped his knuckles lightly on the doorframe, alerting Stephen to his presence. Stephen looked up from his laptop and waived him into the room. "Come in and close the door behind you."

Fitz did as he was instructed before being seated in one of the armchairs that faced Stephen's desk. "Seth said you wanted to see me," his said, unable to mask his annoyance at being summoned.

"I do, but, judging from the look on your face, you'd rather be somewhere else. Seth found you with Olivia?"

Fits looked at him with a sly smile, "He did. We were by the pool, enjoying the afternoon sun. It's too hot and humid in Miami to be outside in August, we were taking advantage of the cooler temperature."

Stephen nodded appreciatively. "Well, let's get down to business so you can get back to your beautiful fiancée. Seth explained that you've found yourself in a bit of a jam and you're looking for a subcontractor for the construction phase of a new project."

"Yes, sir. Grant Enterprises was recently awarded the bid for Patterson Place, a large multi-use office/commercial/residential community, but our construction resources are stretched a bit thin at the moment because we were also awarded the bids for two other projects scheduled for the same timeframe."

"Care to explain how you found yourself in this situation?" Stephen asked, amused by Fitz's predicament.

"I know how irresponsible this must seem, but the explanation is actually quite simple. We have four young, extremely talented architects at the firm. Honestly, they remind me a bit of myself when I was their age. Anyway, I digress, since my father announced his upcoming retirement, Cyrus and I have challenging employees throughout the company to step up and show us how they can contribute to building the Grant Enterprises of the future. We challenged these architects to work with our contractors to submit bids for moderate sized projects in the southeast. Cyrus and I allocated the contractor resources for two projects. We knew it was a risk, but we thought we'd be lucky to win two of the four bids. We never thought we would win three. I just found out on Monday that we were awarded the third bid, the Patterson Place project."

Stephen looked at Fitz suspiciously, "Didn't your father do something similar with you when you were a young, extremely talented architect?"

Fitz laughed heartily. "He did. He challenged me and three of my colleagues to bid on projects ranging from a quarter to a half a billion dollars."

"If I recall correctly, you submitted a bid for a skyscraper, well outside that range."

"You recall correctly and I won that bid," Fitz said smugly. "It was the first time Seth and I worked together. The Akoyo Condominium is still the third largest skyscraper in the Miami skyline."

"Your father was simultaneously livid and bursting with pride at your hubris. The scrambling he had to do to protect your ego and deliver that project on time and on budget was nothing short of miraculous."

"Now it's my turn to scramble," Fitz said with a chuckle. "Patrick is a brilliant architect and his audacious design is visionary. I am committed to helping him deliver this project."

"Does the bid proposal allow for a subcontractor?"

"I've spoken with the developer at length and he is open to us using a subcontractor, but we have to remain within three percent of the original budget."

"Can you do that?"

"We can. The difference will have to come out of our hide, but we weren't expecting to win three bids so a smaller margin on this project is tolerable. Cyrus would prefer that we work with a smaller, less expensive, company, but Patrick's vision is bold and he thought he would have the support of Grant Enterprises' resources. I can't deliver that, but my strong preference is to work with a company we know and trust."

"I appreciate your candor."

"There's no reason to obfuscate. We need a partner in this venture and I would love the opportunity to work with Seth on this."

"You wouldn't be working with Seth."

"Excuse me?" Fitz asked, confused by the sudden turn in the conversation.

"You wouldn't be working with Seth; you would be working with me. Still interested in partnering with Merkle Industries?"

"With all due respect, this is a small project, why would you want to be involved?"

"I'm an old man and the New York winters can be harsh. This project is the perfect excuse for Jean and I to spend some of the winter in Florida. So, should we get Cyrus, and Jeff, my CFO, on the line and start talking numbers?"

Fitz wasn't fully buying Stephen's explanation. It didn't seem logical to devote CEO resources to a project of this size. Something was amiss, but he didn't know the man well enough to ferret out the truth. He glanced at his watch and saw that he'd been with Stephen for half an hour, looping in the CFOs would take at least another hour, making him late to meet Olivia. Stephen looked at him impatiently, "Is there somewhere else you need to be?"

"No, it's fine. I just need to send Olivia a quick text telling her I'm going to be late. Let's get Cyrus and Jeff on the line. I would also like to include Patrick. This is his project; he deserves a seat at the table." Fitz pulled out his phone and sent Olivia a short message explaining that he would be delayed.

A couple of hours later, Fitz found Olivia curled up in the middle of the bed, wearing his favorite Harvard t-shirt, a blanket thrown over her lower half. He went still, welcoming the opportunity to watch her unobserved. She was beautiful with her hair splayed wildly across the pillow, her lips slightly parted. He didn't know if it was his oversized shirt or the large bed, but she looked so tiny lying there, softly breathing. Careful not to wake her, he pulled his iPhone from his pocket and snapped a quick picture. He'd experienced so many different sides of Olivia this week it was hard to rank them, but there was something about this tranquil, vulnerable version that drew him to her.

Unable to resist, he sat beside Olivia on the bed. Bending over, he kissed her on the forehead, her cheek, and on her nose. Beginning to stir, she swatted weakly in his direction. Fitz laughed, amused by how adorable she was in this moment. "Wake up, Livvie," he sung, kissing her lips. To his surprise, Olivia returned his kiss without fully waking up. Curious about where this would lead, he deepened the kiss and again she responded, slowly reaching consciousness. Fitz broke their kiss and Olivia groaned in disappointment.

Fully awake now, her eyes darted around the room, when they focused on Fitz they shot open, wide with shock. "Expecting someone else?" he asked, laughing at her. Olivia touched her lips and pondered his question. Even in her semiconscious state, she should have been able to distinguish the difference between his kiss and that of her husband's. Had he become so familiar to her that she welcomed his touch even in her sleep?

"Fitz," she mumbled, trying to get her bearing. "What time is it?" she asked, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.

"It's a little after seven. I'm sorry I'm late. Did you get my text?"

"I did. I didn't want to go back down to the pool with Seth so I decided to take a nap." She looked down and realized that he'd caught her sleeping in his shirt. "Shit," she exclaimed, looking guilty. "I'm sorry. It was on the bed and I slipped into it after my shower. I don't usually sleep in pajamas and your shirt was so soft. I couldn't resist."

"It's fine. It looks much better on you than it does on me."

"It does, doesn't it," she said cheekily, sitting up in the bed, drawing her legs underneath her. "How did it go with Stephen? Are you going to subcontract with Merkle Industries?"

"It looks that way. We had a lengthy conference call with Patrick, Cyrus, the Merkle CFO, and a Merkle contractor. Our legal team is drafting a subcontract. Patrick, the Merkle contractor, and their teams are working on a revised construction bid proposal for the developer."

"When it's ready have Charlotte send it to me. I'll review and edit it for you."

"Liv, you don't have to do that, you're supposed to be on vacation."

"You're working, I can work too. Do you really trust Charlotte to handle this?"

Looking at her intently, Fitz reached out and tucked a few errant hairs behind her ear. "You know there's no one I trust more than you."

"Then it's settled. Have her send the proposal to me when it's ready."

"Yes ma'am. Anything else?"

"I should be asking you that. Anything else I should know?"

"There's something going on with Stephen."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. I assumed Seth would be my contact for the Patterson Place project, but Stephen is insisting on handling it personally."

"That is odd. Why would he want to travel back and forth between Florida and New York?"

"He claims he wants to get out of New York for the winter, but I think it's something else."

"What?"

"That's just it. I don't know. Did Jean mention anything to you?"

"No. She's keeping me close, but I thought that was because I'm new and she doesn't fully trust me."

"Stephen is doing the same with me. Something's up."

"Did you talk to Seth or your father?"

"My father is not returning my calls and, now that Seth is out of the Patterson Place project, it would be awkward to have the conversation with him."

"What you going to do?"

"I don't think there is anything we can do."

"Fitz, you can't let him come to Miami," she warned.

"Why not?"

"Because this, us, you and me," she said gesturing between the two of them, "is a one weekend show. I have a husband. I can't just drop everything and pretend to be your fiancée every time he's in town. What's going to happen when he calls the office or, worse yet, visits the office and sees me? What happens if I'm out with Jake and we run into him? Don't you see, if Stephen comes to Miami, this entire weekend will have been for naught."

"Proving that I can close a deal with Merkle Industries and establishing myself as a worthy business partner and equal is the reason why we're both here, remember. I've come too far to kill the deal now, plus, Patrick deserves better. You haven't seen his project design, but it's brilliant and he shouldn't be denied an opportunity he's earned because of my decisions. Handling Stephen is my problem. I'll figure something out, something that doesn't involve you. Obviously, we are going to have to end our engagement and I'll be heartbroken, devastated even, but it will be a good excuse to throw myself into work. I think I can spin this into something good for all of us."

"I'm sorry I can't help you," she said softly, avoiding eye contact and fiddling with her fingers.

"Don't be," he said, using his finger to turn her chin and her attention back to him. "You've done more than enough already. I wouldn't even be in this position if you didn't agree to join me this weekend. You've been amazing."

"Thanks," she replied bashfully. "The most tedious part has been pretending to be attracted to you. It's too bad you're not handsome or anything." Fitz couldn't help but laugh at Olivia's teasing.

"Speaking of attractive, it's almost time for dinner. I'll wait outside while you change," he said, rising from the bed.

"Fitz, wait," she called, "You don't have to leave. I've already showered. Let me brush my teeth quickly and you can have the bathroom while I get changed out here."

"Are you sure?" he asked, squinting his eyes as he considered her proposal.

"I'm sure," she said hopping out of bed and heading in the direction of the bathroom.

Fitz chuckled at how absurd his t-shirt looked on her, the sleeves almost covering her elbows and the hem falling well below her butt. "You're so small, seeing you in my shirt makes me feel like a giant."

"Is that all it makes you feel?" she asked in a sultry tone, closing the bathroom door before he could respond.

Dinner was winding down and Olivia couldn't take any more of the forced socialization. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from the smile she'd kept plastered on her face for the last hour. Individually and in small groups, the couples gathered for the weekend were delightful, but for some reason tonight's dinner had devolved into a competition in which the executives all tried to exert their superiority. She wondered if the morning rounds of golf had resulted in some bruised egos.

Needing a break, Olivia excused herself from the room, explaining to Fitz that she needed to use the bathroom. Instead of using the powder room inside the foyer, conveniently located outside the dining room, she opted to venture down the long hall to use the powder room on the first floor of the cottage, prolonging her time away from the group. When she was finished, she stood in the mirror and gave herself a little pep talk to get her through the rest of the evening. Realizing she'd been gone long enough for Fitz to worry, she rushed out of the bathroom and collided into Seth, who was lurking outside the door.

Seth reached out and grabbed her upper arms to prevent her from falling, but he used more force than needed, causing her to grimace with pain. "What are you doing out here?" Olivia asked, twisting out of his grasp.

"I'm looking for you."

"Looking for me? Why? Is Fitz okay?"

"You should see the look on your face. It's brilliant. You actually look concerned about him."

"I am concerned about him. Where is he? What's wrong? Take me to him?"

"I have to admit the two of you are good."

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, confused by Seth's response.

"You, Fitz, and this little charade you're trying to pull off. I was there the last time Fitz fell in love and the two of you almost have me convinced. Almost."

"I know all about Fitz's past so I understand why you are confused, but Fitz and I aren't pretending. We're in love, we're engaged, and we're going to get married."

"My God, you are good, all full of righteous indignation even as you stand there and lie to me. You are a beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman. Women like you don't fall for men like Fitzgerald Grant, not for more than one night."

Olivia stared at him defiantly. "I don't know who you think I am or, for that matter, who you think he is, but you're wrong about both of us. It took us a long time to find each other and, I'll admit Fitz had a lot of growing up to do when we met, but I love him completely and unconditionally and he is absolutely deserving of that love."

Seth smiled at her coldly, giving her the creeps. "You must be costing him a fortune. Did he bring you with him from Miami or do you work for an agency in New York."

"I'm going to need you to refrain from calling me a whore," she spat angrily.

"Whoa," he exclaimed, stepping toward her rather than away from her. Olivia instinctively retreated away from him, looking for an escape. Seth was blocking the path forward that led back the dining room and the other guests. She knew the only thing behind her was the stairs to the cottage and the last thing she wanted was to lead him to the bedrooms. Her only option was to drift right and hope that led to an exit. "I didn't mean to offend you," he explained. "I meant it as a compliment. I guess I'm not as a charming as the men you're used to dealing with. I just want to know how I can be added to your client list."

Olivia groaned internally when she realized that she'd turned into the cottage's mudroom, a more enclosed space than the hallway, with the only exit leading outside compound. Acknowledging she wouldn't be able to escape as easily as she hoped, she began to rationalize with Seth. "I don't know how else to say this to you. I am NOT a whore! Fitz and I aren't pretending. Everything about our relationship is real. You're making a huge mistake. I'm his fiancée. You saw how he acted at the pool. He didn't want me hanging out with you in a bikini. Do you really think he'd be that possessive of his favorite call girl? Move out of my way now and we can laugh this off as an honest mistake, no harm no foul. You and I can pretend this never happened," her cadence quickening with each word as the desperation and fear crept into her voice.

Seth continued to crowd Olivia, leering at her lewdly, forcing her to unwittingly retreat into the corner of the room and trapping her there with his body. Olivia struggled to get away from him, but his presence was overwhelming, offering no escape. "You're fucking perfect," he said, his hand roaming under the hem of her dress, "I understand why the thought of you with another man would make him crazy". Olivia frantically tried to push away his hand, but that only made him grasp her tighter, forcing his hand higher on her thigh. "I don't understand why you're fighting this so hard. I'm a good looking guy. I'm willing to double whatever it he's paying you."

Olivia slapped him across the face as hard as she could. "I'm not for sale asshole. Let me go," she barked in a voice far more authoritarian than she felt.

He laughed humorlessly, unamused by her display of bravado. "I knew you were a feisty one. Fitz generally prefers his women docile, but I like mine with a little fight," he said, leaning forward, quickly closing the gap between them.

He was so close Olivia could smell the scotch on his breath. Continuing to struggle against his advances, she offered, "I've been gone for a while. Fitz will get worried and start looking for me soon. We both know this won't end well for anyone if he finds us like this. He's going to lose his temper and do something that will ruin this weekend for him and probably cost him the CEO position. He'll try to fight it, but eventually he will blame me for everything and the resentment will ruin our relationship. And you, God knows what he will do to you. He'll make it his mission to ruin you personally and professionally. Is sex with a woman that doesn't want you worth all that?"

"Wasn't that little speech just full of wishful thinking? That man doesn't give a shit about you. All he cares about is what's between your legs. He's probably too busy kissing my father's ass to realize that you're gone. If you just relax and cooperate, I promise you'll enjoy it," he said, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Don't, please," she whimpered, turning her head away from him, causing his open mouthed kiss to land on her cheek.

"What the fuck?" Fitz yelled charging in the direction of Seth and Olivia. He snatched Seth off Olivia and slammed him into the wall. "What the hell is going on here?" he barked at Seth. Turning to a distraught Olivia, he asked, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Olivia rushed towards Fitz, pressing her small body into his, holding onto him tightly. Fitz wrapped his left arm around Olivia, trying to comfort her while keeping a watching eye on Seth.

"Relax, man," Seth said defensively, "I didn't hurt her."

Judging from Seth's condescending smirk and Olivia's level of upset, Fitz knew exactly what had transpired between the pair and why. "I'm so sorry Livvie, this is all my fault. Are you hurt? Do you want to press charges? What do you need?" Fitz asked, looking her over to be sure she wasn't physically harmed.

"Press charges? I didn't hurt her. She came onto me."

"He's lying. I didn't. I wouldn't."

Fitz kissed the top of her head, holding her tighter and hushing her softly. "I know Livvie," he cooed. Turning to Seth, he spat, "Now, asshole, do you want to explain why your lips and hands were all over my fiancée?"

"She's a lying slut. The little whore was all over me the second I offered to double your fee."

"Mother fucker," Olivia hissed.

Fitz's face turned red with rage. Veins bulging in his forehead and neck, Fitz grabbed Seth by the throat with his free hand, squeezing tightly, and pressed him against the wall. With his other hand, he tucked Olivia safely behind him, placing himself squarely between the two of them. "You need to stop talking before I forget we've been friends for more than twenty years," he growled. "The woman you just assaulted is the woman I love, the woman I plan to marry. The only reason why I haven't already killed you is because she's standing here watching me and I don't want to further traumatize her. Did you think for one second that I would believe you over her? I don't know why you thought you could touch her, treat her that way, but you're wrong. I don't give a damn who you are, who your parents are. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kick your ass." Infuriated, Fitz increased the pressure on his neck, causing Seth's eyes to bulge and him to gasp for air. "Liv, why don't you go join the others. I'll be right there."

Liv wrapped her arms around Fitz, pressing her face against his back. "Come with me. Forget about him. He's not worth it," she begged before whispering softly, "remember why we're here."

"Liv, leave, please. I just need a moment alone with Seth."

"No," she pleaded. "I'm not leaving without you. I don't want to be alone, not now. I need you."

Fitz dropped his hand from Seth's neck and pulled Olivia into his embrace. "I'm so sorry. I promised I would never let anyone hurt you and I failed you, again," he said, burying his face in her hair, inhaling her scent deeply.

"You're not responsible for what he did."

"I am," he whispered, "and we both know why."

"That's not true. You are not the man he thinks you are. Now, come, take me back to the group before people notice we've disappeared."

Fitz turned around to face Seth. "You're lucky she's a better person than both of us. I don't give a damn who you are. You so much as look at her, touch her or come within ten feet of her and I'll kill you. I would risk everything to protect her."

"You're not fooling me. You may be saying all the right things, but I was there after Elizabeth, when you swore off love forever, promising that you would never put yourself in a position to be devastated like that again. You don't want to be married any more than I do."

"Correction – I didn't want to be married. That was before Olivia came back into my life and everything changed. I've changed. You don't know me and you don't know Olivia. Stay away from both of us."

"He'll tire of you soon and he'll discard you, just like all the rest of them. That's the real reason why he pays you, it's not for the sex, not for the little performance you're putting on this weekend, it's to go away quietly when he's done with you. You see, my friend Fitz doesn't believe in love and commitment, not anymore, but a man has needs and I must admit he has exquisite taste in women. Only the best for Fitz," he said wryly. "When he's done with you, call me and I'll triple whatever it is he's paying you."

"Son of a bitch," Fitz roared, charging at Seth, his face contorted with rage and his fists clenched at his sides. In that moment of anger, everything faded away so quickly, as if someone had turned off the electricity, and all that was left was he and Seth. He delivered a perfect punch to Seth's solar plexus. The air rushed out of Seth's lungs and he collapsed to the floor desperately gasping for breath, but the blow short-circuited his brain and his body couldn't figure out how to breathe. Fitz kicked him in the chest, ribs, and stomach repeatedly before Seth rolled away and curled into a ball, trying to protect himself. Fitz seized the opportunity and swiftly kicked him in the kidneys.

Olivia watched on in horror as Fitz mercilessly attached Seth. "Fitz! Fitz! Stop! Please!" she cried, her eyes welling with tears. He ignored her and continued kicking Seth. Standing behind him, Olivia struggled to break up the one-sided fight. She grabbed at Fitz's shoulders, trying to pull him off Seth. It was useless, Fitz was much stronger than she was and he didn't seem to know she was there. She began to beat on his back, shouting for him to stop, but her blows were as impactful as a gnat landing on an elephant. In an act of desperation, Olivia reached up and grabbed a fist full of Fitz's curls, snatching his head back at an awkward angle. Fitz abruptly turned to her, his fists raised and ready to attack the interloper.

When his eyes met hers, it was as if someone doused him with a bucket of cold water. His gaze alternated between an upset Olivia, standing there trembling with tears threatening to fall, and a defeated Seth, curled in a ball on the floor groaning in pain. He grabbed Olivia and pulled her roughly into his embrace, repeatedly kissing her on the top of her head, murmuring apologies. "I wasn't going to hurt you. I could never hurt you. I'm so sorry I scared you."

Olivia wrapped her arms tightly around Fitz's back. Lifting her face toward him, she responded, "I know that. I wasn't scared of you, I was scared for you. Scared about what you would do to Seth and what the consequences would be for you." When Olivia said Seth's name, Fitz moved his head in the direction of the man still lying on the floor.

"Bastard!"

"Is he okay?"

"He's breathing, which is better than he deserves,"

"Fitz, be serious," Olivia said, looking at Seth with genuine concern. "He could be hurt. Should we call a doctor?"

"He'll be fine," Fitz dismissed. "The first blow scared him more than it hurt him. If I'm lucky I cracked a rib or two. He'll be bruised, sore, and pissing blood tomorrow, but he'll live. I was more in control than it seemed. All of his injuries are easily covered by a shirt. No one will know unless the little bitch goes tattling to mommy and daddy. But I doubt he'll do that because, if he did, he'd have to explain why he propositioned and assaulted his friend's fiancée." Turning his focus back to Olivia, he asked, "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I'm a little shaken, but I'm fine."

He cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand, his thumb brushing away the lone tear that had escaped. "Let's get you out of here. Do you want to go up to our room?"

"No, disappearing will just raise suspicions, especially with Stephen and Jean. We should return to the others," she said leading him in the direction of the hallway.

When they turned the corner into the hall, she looked up at him shyly. "Thank you," she said softly.

"Please don't thank me. I'm the reason you were in danger in the first place. I don't want to think about what would have happened if I didn't come looking for you."

Olivia stopped walking and turned toward him, cradling his face in both of her hands for a moment. She tried to make eye contact with him, but he refused to look at her. "Fitz, look at me," she urged. Fitz raised his eyes from the floor and stared at her chin, afraid of what he'd see in her eyes. "Look at me," she commanded softly. Fitz slowly and reluctantly raised his eyes so that he was staring directly into her round, brown doe eyes. He expected to find anger, betrayal, and fear, but instead, all that was present was compassion, gratitude, and a hint of something else he couldn't quite define. "All that's important is that you arrived when you did. I was in trouble and you showed up for me, just like you promised. You defended me at great risk to yourself and, for that, I am immensely grateful. You are not responsible for what Seth did to me. I know what he said and I know some of that rang true for you, but hear me when I say you are not the man he described. I would not be here, now, with that man. You are capable of loving someone else and deserve to be loved in return."

"But what if I lying to both of us and I am that man? I'm no saint and I've had experiences with women I'm not proud of."

"Have you ever forced yourself on a woman or abandoned her to be hurt by someone else?"

"What? No! I'm not a monster."

"Exactly! Only a monster would be capable of doing what you're beating yourself up for doing. You've paid for sex with willing and consensual partners. It's not my favorite thing about you, but that has nothing to do with what just happened."

"Doesn't it? He attacked you because he assumed you were an escort, an assumption he made solely because you were with me."

"Seth attacked me because of who he is, not because of who you are. He saw something he wanted and, when I wouldn't give it to him, he tried to take it. There's nothing charming or seductive about him. He's a predator. He may have thought I was escort, but that doesn't excuse what he did. Even considering our arrangement," she paused swallowing hard, trying hard not to think of herself as another woman he purchased, "you have consistently put me and my comfort first. Trust me when I say the two of you have nothing in common. Now, are you ready to go back in there and join the others?"

Fitz chuckled lightly. "I'm the one that should be taking care of you not the other way around."

Olivia smiled and winked at him, "What can I say, old habits die hard. Now, paint a smile on that pretty face of yours and let's get through the rest of this evening."

When they returned, the group had moved to the living room for after dinner drinks. Fitz escorted Olivia to an armchair, away from the others. "Have a seat here," he instructed. "I'm going to get you a drink. I'll be right back."

Fitz returned with a tumbler filled with two fingers of an amber liquid.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Bourbon, I thought you needed something a little stiffer than wine." When he handed her the glass, he noted that the contents were sloshing around violently, a sign of her trembling hands. Olivia slammed back the tumbler's content in one large gulp. "Whoa, tiger," he teased. "Take it easy." Looking at her closer, he now saw that her bottom lip was quivering and she had drawn her small body into itself. He kneeled before her so that he was eye level with her. "Livvie, are you cold?"

"A little, why?"

He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. "I think the adrenaline from earlier is wearing off and you are going into shock. We need to get you back to the room, where I can take care of you."

"I'm fine," she said waving him off. "I just need a moment to collect myself. Go, join the others. I will be with you shortly."

"Liv, stop. I don't give a damn about these people. All I care about is you, and right now, we need to get you upstairs so I can check you out. Wait here, I'll be right back," he said, rising to his feet.

"Where are you going?" she asked, concern etched in her face.

"To speak with the Merkles."

"What are you going to tell them?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear.

Placing his hand over hers, he explained, "It's okay. I'm not going to mention what happened with Seth. Telling them would have to be your decision. I'm just going to say that you're not feeling well and that we are going to head to our room early."

Olivia placed her head in her hands. "They are going to think I'm drunk," she groaned.

"They will think much worse if we keep sitting here until you pass out. Now, stop fighting and let me take care of you." Olivia nodded her head weakly, too exhausted to protest.

She watched as he made his way over to their hosts. Olivia couldn't read their lips, but she assumed Fitz was explaining that she had taken ill and that they needed to excuse themselves. She wanted to crawl under her chair when both Stephen and Jean turned to look at her, a mix of concern and pity in their expression. Stephen patted Fitz on the back and they exchanged a few words before Fitz broke away from the couple and headed toward her.

Olivia rose from her seat, feeling a bit wobbly on her feet. _Damn it_ , she thought to herself, _I shouldn't have thrown back that drink so fast_. Before she knew it, Fitz was by her side, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist. "I'm fine," she deflected, "just a little buzzed from the bourbon."

"Are you always so stubborn?"

"I happen to think it's one of my better qualities," she retorted.

"Must be one of the few things about you that's not immediately loveable," he teased, leading her out of the room.

Once they were out of sight, Fitz scooped Olivia up into his arms. "Fitz," she shrieked. "Put me down. I can walk."

"I'm not taking any chances. I'm still not sure you're not going to pass out."

"I'm not going to pass out," she giggled. "I'm fine. You're just being fussy and overprotective," she said, snuggling closer to Fitz.

"Call it what you want. I'm not putting you down until we get to the room."

When they passed the entrance to the mudroom, Olivia curled against him, tucking her head up under his chin. "Do you think he's still down there?" she asked hesitantly, shuddering in his arms.

Holding her tighter, he shook his head. "I doubt it. He's probably crawled back to his room by now."

Olivia fell quiet, relaxing a bit in Fitz's arms as he effortlessly carried her up the stairs and into the room they shared. Gently, he placed her on the bed in a seated position facing him. He tried smiling to put her at ease, but the warm expression on his face did nothing to erase the sadness in his eyes. "I need to make sure you're okay, to make sure he didn't hurt you. Is it okay if I look at you, if I touch you?"

Olivia nodded slowly. He removed his jacket from around her body and began to survey her exposed skin. Slowly, he scanned her face and neck, both of which seemed unharmed. He moved onto her arms and hissed loudly, when he found five marks of discoloration, the size of a large male hand. He traced over the marks with his index finger. "Do these hurt?"

Olivia looked where he was pointing and saw the bruises beginning to form. "No. I remember when he grabbed me, but I didn't think it was that hard. Don't worry, I'll cover them with concealer. No one will see them tomorrow," she said coolly.

"I'm worried about you, not about appearances. I don't give a fuck what they think."

"If I don't cover them up they will assume you beat me. Is that what you want?" she spat.

Fitz knew her anger wasn't directed at him so he chose not to take the bait. He wanted to give her what she needed in that moment, but couldn't bear the thought of fighting with her. Not when she was like this. He continued his surveillance of her body. "May I?" he asked hesitantly, his hand at the hem of her dress. Looking away, Olivia nodded her head slowly. Fitz slowly and tentatively eased the edge of her dress up her thigh, trying to prepare himself for what he was sure he would find. With great caution and care, he bunched up the material until he found what he was looking for, a series of finger pad bruises starting to form on her left mid-thigh.

Groaning at the sight, he pictured Seth's hands on her skin, groping and hurting her while she struggled to get away. How long had she been alone with him in the hallway? Why hadn't he been paying more attention? Why didn't he go look for her sooner? He promised her he would take care of her this weekend and he failed. He was the one that deserved to be hurt, punished, not her. Slowly he lowered his face to her leg, placing a gentle kiss on her marred flesh before resting his head in her lap, his nose mere millimeters from her core. Olivia found it odd that, given the circumstances, she could now take comfort from a gesture that just yesterday she would have deemed inappropriate. Olivia absentmindedly ran her fingers through his curls, allowing the slow rise and fall of his chest against her legs soothe her.

"Did he touch you anywhere else?" he whispered against her body, unable to face her as he asked the question that had been on his mind all night.

"No, you found me before…" she said, the voice trailing off, her mind unable to process what could have happened.

Slowly, Fitz rose to his feet. "What can I do? Do you need anything?"

"I just need a minute alone."

"Of course," he said, rushing toward the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked in an alarmed voice, panicked at the idea of him leaving her.

Fitz turned to her, his brows furrowed in confusion. Understanding what she needed, he reached for the doorknob, locking the door. "Nowhere, I'm just locking the door. I'm going to take a shower and give you some space. Is that ok?" She nodded silently. He moved quickly to the dresser, in search of pajamas. "Here," he said handing her a Yale t-shirt. "This one's older than my Harvard shirt. Probably softer too. I thought you might want to sleep in this."

"Thanks," she said, taking the shirt from him, her eyes softening as she looked at him.

"Do you need anything else?" She shook her head slowly. Headed toward the bathroom, he said, "I won't lock the door. If you need anything just come in." Olivia didn't reply, instead turning her head away from him, effectively ending their conversation.

When he came out of the bathroom and found Olivia sobbing in the middle of the bed. "Oh, Livvie," he cried, quickly moving to be seated on the edge of the bed, reaching out and stroking her back softly. "What can I do? What do you need? Do you want to leave? I'll pack our things and we can get out of here tonight. Do you want Jake? I can call him. My father's plane returned to Miami. I can have him here with you in a few hours. Just tell me what you want, anything, and I'll do it."

Fitz felt her body start to convulse and thought she was crying harder. He stretched his body over hers and that's when he heard it. She was laughing. It started small, but continued to build until it bordered on hysteria. Fitz looked at her in terror, afraid that the shock had settled in and that she would require medical attention. Olivia didn't know why, but the panicked look on his face only made her laugh harder. She wanted to stop laughing, but she couldn't control it. It was as if her body had chosen that awkward moment to expel all of the emotions from earlier that evening. After thirty seconds of uncontrollable laughter, she calmed down and repositioned in the bed so that we was facing him. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping the tears away from her face, "that's just the first time you've gotten his name right."

"Excuse me," he countered, his face twisted into a mask of confusion.

"My husband, his name is Jake," she explained. "For the past few years you have called him every _J_ name possible, except his name, Jake. Tonight is the first time you've ever called him by his actual name."

Realizing that she was okay, Fitz exhaled a heavy sigh of relief. "Jake, your husband," he said with a wicked smile, "do you want me to call him? To fly him up here."

"No," she said with a hint of sadness. "Don't call him. I'm not ready to talk to him. "

"Are you sure? My feelings won't be hurt. I can fly him up with the plane and you both could be home and safely tucked in your bed before morning."

"I'm sure," she said, her confidence growing. "He would just go all alpha male, blaming everything on you, and insist I come home with him."

"He'd be right," Fitz said, weakly.

"He wouldn't," she snapped, "and I'm not going to say it again. Seth attacked me, not you. Stop trying to accept the blame for his actions."

"Maybe you should go. You've suffered enough because of me. I don't want to risk anything else happening to you. I want you to be safe."

"Do you think I'm unsafe here?" she asked, sitting up in the middle of the bed and hugging herself. "I trust you to protect me."

"Do you?" he asked, nodding at her defensive body posture.

Craving closeness, Olivia scooted closer to Fitz, fighting the urge to crawl in his lap. "I do," she said, wedging herself under his arm, inhaling his clean, fresh scent, a heady combination of sandalwood from his body wash, baby powder from his deodorant, and his natural musk. "I knew you would find us. I told Seth as much. I was scared, but I knew you were coming. I knew you wouldn't let him hurt me. If I stay will I be a distraction? Do you want me to leave?"

He opened his arms, inviting her to move closer before he wrapped her in his warm and soothing embrace. He rested his face on her head, basking in the way she felt in his arms. "I don't want you to go. I'm better with you than I am without you."

"You're right. We make a good team. We're not finished with this weekend. We still need to close the Patterson Place deal."

"I agree, but that's not why I want you to stay."

Olivia pulled away from him so she could see his face. There was a tenderness to his expression that she didn't recall being there before. "Why do you want me to stay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Fitz tilted her head down and planted a tender kiss to her forehead, allowing his lips to linger longer than needed. Reaching for a pillow, he said, "It's been a long day. I should let you get some rest."

Olivia placed her hand on his arm, stilling his movements. "There is something I want, but I'll understand if you don't want to," she said shyly.

"Anything," he replied, reaching for his phone on the nightstand.

"You should be careful with statements like that. It could be dangerous offering women blank checks the way you do."

Fitz smiled shyly, he didn't offer women blank checks, only her. There was something about the way she looked at him, the way he felt when he touched or kissed her, that made him willing to risk it all to see her smile again. Everything about her was so devastatingly distracting – her beauty, intelligence, strength, humor, about compassion, but it was her vulnerability that undid him completely. These intangibles simultaneously terrified him and made him long for her. Looking at her now, made small by her insecurity, he knew there was nothing that he wouldn't give her or do for her and that terrified him. If he felt this way now, when she was another man's wife, how would these feelings intensify if they allowed their relationship go further. Pulling himself out of this thoughts, he replied, "I trust you. What can I do?"

"Will you hold me?" she asked meekly.

"Of course," he said, grinning broadly. He reached forward to turn off the bedside lamp and crawled under the covers, holding them open for her to join him. Olivia snuggled in close to him, inching backwards until her back was pressed against his front. He wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand on her abdomen. "I'll stay with you until you fall asleep and then I'll move to the floor."

Olivia laid her arm over his, hugging him tightly to her. "Don't leave," she pleaded. "Stay with me until the morning." There was a long pause and then she added, "Tell me I'm different."

"You already know that you are."

"I need to hear you say it."

"Haven't I shown you?"

"I don't know that I can trust what I feel when I'm around you."

"Will you trust me when I say it?"

"I think so."

"Turn over."

"What?"

"Turn over. I'm not having this conversation with the back of your head." Olivia flipped over so that she was facing him. The room was dark, but there was enough ambient light coming from the window that he could make out the outline of her face and the whites of her eyes. Once she settled, he wrapped an arm around her waist, allowing his hand to rest in the curve of her lower back, and began speaking. "Olivia Pope Ballard you are unlike any woman that I've ever met. You are neither disposable nor interchangeable. My world doesn't work or make sense without you. We are not ever going to be over, not even when you are old and gray and can't remember my name. I don't know what Seth said to you to make you doubt yourself, doubt my intentions, but it was a lie. He just doesn't get us, but he doesn't have to because we understand what we have and that's all that matters."

Olivia lay there, staring speechless at Fitz, grateful that the darkness made it difficult for him to see the tears that were welling in her eyes. His words twisted her inside out. She wasn't sure what she expected him to say, but it wasn't remotely close to what he said. She was seeking reassurance that she wasn't his latest plaything, something to toy with while he was bored. What he had given her was so much more. She replayed his words, carefully parsing each phrase, and was left wondering what it was he felt they had. Was he describing the relationship between a boss and his Girl Friday or was he alluding to something else, something more?

Fitz waited patiently for a response and, when he didn't receive one, asked, "Is there anything else I can do?"

"No. I'm fine, for real this time, not like before."

"Good. Now go to sleep," he instructed, kissing her on the bridge of her nose.

Olivia assumed her previous position, spooned in the curves of Fitz's body. She released a long yawn and, like a cat, stretched her lithe body out beside him, squirming around trying to get comfortable. He stifled a moan when her butt grazed across his crotch. He grabbed her hip firmly, halting her movements. "Liv, I'm going to need you to be still before I embarrass myself."

"Oh," she giggled, suddenly aware of her surroundings. "Sorry! I forgot it's been four days," she teased.

Fitz's face flushed with desire. He couldn't imagine a time, four days of abstinence or otherwise, when his body wouldn't respond to being this close to her. Even now, when it was completely inappropriate, he wanted her with a yearning he'd never experienced. He wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close. "Get some rest, beautiful. I'll be right here beside you when you wake up in the morning."

"Goodnight, Fitz," she mumbled sleepily.

"Goodnight, Liv."

 **A/N: Well, Fitz finally made his way into Olivia's bed, but it's not the way either of them thought it would happen. This chapter turned out darker than I originally planned, but as Jonathan Lockwood Huie said, "The darkest night is often the bridge to the brightest tomorrow." And, I have a very bright tomorrow planned for our couple. As always, I'm eager to read your thoughts about what you liked and disliked.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello readers, I have a question for you. Would you rather have more frequent, but shorter chapters or wait longer for lengthier, more detailed chapters? For example, I could have broken this chapter in two or three smaller chapters and posted every couple of weeks, but I waited and combined the mini-chapters until they created a more substantive chapter. What are your thoughts?**

Fitz woke slowly, trying to make sense of the tickling sensation in his nose and the heavy weight on his chest. He blinked himself awake, moving his head slowly, taking in the beautiful sight before him. Waking up to Olivia was better than any dream he'd ever had. Sometime during the night, they must have shifted positions such that she was now curled around his body, her head on his chest, her hair mussed wildly around her face, her arm around his waist, and her legs tangled with his. Fitz wasn't usually one to cuddle, especially not throughout the night, he thought it created a false sense of intimacy and made the it unnecessarily awkward for everyone when he left in the morning. However, here, in this moment with Olivia, he had no desire to flee, no urge to sneak out of bed before she woke up. This morning, he was exactly where he wanted to be, in the arms of an angel that had deigned to share her bed with him.

Olivia was subsumed in the merciful forgetfulness of sleep, her brain protecting itself by dulling the memories of what happened the previous night. He released a contented sigh as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she slept, eventually, his breathing matching hers. The sight of her in his shirt, his arms, his bed, stirred feelings within him that he knew he could never admit aloud. Not sure when he would next get this opportunity, he lay there memorizing the features of her face, the swell of her breast, the flat plane of her abdomen, and the rounded curves of her buttocks. Afraid that he would forget a detail, he used his free hand to retrieve his phone from the nightstand and took several pictures of her peaceful form.

Needing a distraction from the way Olivia was making him feel, Fitz started reading emails on his phone. Late last night, after Olivia fell asleep, he sent a very detailed email to Charlotte asking her to arrange a daytrip for him and Olivia. He needed to check in with her to see if she received his email and if she was working on the items he needed. He also needed to check in with Neil and Patrick to make sure they were on track with their projects. If they needed something from him, they had to get it in the next two hours. After that, he would be unavailable. He planned to spend the whole day with Olivia, no cell phones, no distractions, and no interruptions.

After a while, he felt Olivia start to stir in his arms. "Good morning, beautiful," he said softly. She startled awake, her body going rigid in his arms, deciding whether to fight or flee. "Calm down, tiger," he said, kissing her on the top of her head, "it's just me. You asked me to stay with you last night."

Olivia stretched beside him, encouraging the blood to flow into her extremities, before resuming her position and relaxing on top of him, "How long have you been awake?"

"About an hour."

She tilted her head up so she could see his face, "Why didn't you wake me?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully. It's been a busy few days, I figured you needed the rest. How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

Olivia looked at the now prominent bruises on her arm and touched them gingerly, wincing in pain upon contact. "I'm fine. It looks much worse than it feels. It only hurts if you touch them."

"How are you doing otherwise? You can still change your mind about leaving."

"I haven't changed my mind. We are both leaving together on Monday, as scheduled," she said, waiving him off. "Are you always this protective?"

"I promised you that you would be my priority this weekend and that we wouldn't stay one second longer than you wanted. I'm just trying to keep my word."

"You have," she said rolling off him. "You've been wonderful. Seth is the asshole."

"Speaking of him, have you changed your mind about pressing charges?"

"Fitz," she said softly, "I can't."

Fitz looked at her, with his brow furrowed in confusion. "Is this about the Merkles or the Patterson Place project? I told you I'm not worried about what they think and I am definitely not concerned about the subcontract. I've worked with Lucas before, I can approach him about the subcontract. Your happiness and safety are my only concern. He assaulted you. You should press charges."

"I can't," she said flatly.

"Why not?" he asked, frustrated by her stubborn refusal to consider his position.

"What's the first thing the police are going to ask me?"

Fitz was perplexed by her question. "I don't know. What? To tell them what happened?"

"No, my name, which, for the record, is not Olivia Pope. You have to know that the Merkles aren't just going to stand by and let me accuse their son of assault. They are going to use their power and privilege to protect him, like any parent would. What's the first thing your father would do?"

"Hire the best criminal attorney in the state."

"Exactly. And, do you know what the attorney would do? Hire an investigator to look into my background. With my name, it would only take a mediocre investigator thirty seconds to discover I'm married. It won't take much longer for him to figure out I'm your assistant. That information alone is enough to discredit both of us. How much longer would it take the investigator to find out you paid me to join you this weekend? This only supports Seth's claim that I came onto him when he offered me money."

"I understand it doesn't look good, but you're injured, you have evidence of the assault and a witness."

"That won't be enough. Seth will claim he paid for rough sex and that the bruises are a byproduct of our consensual activities. Think about it, the only people that will pay if I press charges are the two of us."

"I'm not worried about me. I'll be fine. I'm worried about you."

"You're probably right, you'll be fine, but you'll never be CEO. The Merkles will paint me as the opportunistic whore who is trying to shake down their son and you will be blamed for introducing us. This will only confirm your father's belief that you're not ready to be CEO. You'll be forced out of the company, I will be fired, and Seth will go free. The worse that will happen to him is that the Merkle's will pay a settlement to make the ugliness go away. A settlement that I'll be forced to take, no matter how disgusted I am by the thought of them buying my silence, because I'll be unemployed and Jake and I will need the money. Does any of that sound like justice to you?"

Fitz bristled when she introduced her husband into the conversation. The idea of Jake helping Olivia through this process made him crazy. She was with him when the incident occurred. He would be the one to protect her and deal with Seth. "Liv," he said, exhaling deeply, tracing the contours of her face with his fingers. "I'm so sorry. What can I do?"

"You've already done what you can. I'm sure he feels much worse this morning than I do," she said with a chuckle, recalling Fitz rushing to her defense. "Just make me one promise."

"Anything," he replied.

Olivia laughed. "What did I tell you about being so eager? You have no idea what I'm going to ask you."

"Can I do it?" Olivia nodded her head, smiling at him. "Well, tell me how I make this better for you?"

"Promise me we will never work with him. I understand Stephen is one of your father's preferred business partners, but promise me you will never work with Seth directly. After this weekend, I never want to see him again."

Fitz looked deeply into her eyes. "I promise I will never work with Seth. I would never ask you to interact with him, not after what he did to you last night. Do you want me to find another company for the subcontract?"

"No, the deal is practically done and you will be working with Stephen on that project. He's not responsible for his son's actions. You said Patrick's project design was brilliant and deserved to be shared. We came here to close a deal with Merkle Industries and we're not leaving until you do so."

"You're being far more reasonable than I would be if I were in your position," Fitz said, his mind already thinking of ways to retaliate against Seth. There was no way he was letting this go. Olivia was right, Seth's privilege and their charade likely made him untouchable by the justice system, but it left him wide open to an attack from Fitz. He didn't know how, but he would figure out a way to punish Seth for the way he treated Olivia.

Olivia tapped the tip of his nose, smiling brightly. "Then it's a good thing that you're not in my position." Moving closer to him, she changed topics, "We left so abruptly last night that I didn't hear what Jean has planned for today. Do you know what we are supposed to be doing?"

Fitz shrugged. "I don't and whatever Jean has planned, she will have to do without you. I made other plans for us today."

"Fitz," she warned, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

"I'm working on a surprise for you." No sooner than the words left his mouth, his cellphone chimed, alerting him to an incoming text. Olivia watched Fitz as he read the text, judging from his body language that he'd received good news. Fitz locked his phone and turned his attention back to Olivia. "That was the first piece of my plan falling into place. As much I would love to spend the rest of the morning in bed with you," he said with a wink, "I have to shower and get dressed. I need to meet with Stephen before we leave."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, but don't worry, we'll be back well before the ball."

"You know how I feel about surprises."

"And you know how ridiculous I think that is. Surprises are supposed to be fun. Trust me, we are going to have lots of fun today. Now, beautiful," he said pecking her lips softly, "stop distracting me. We're on a tight schedule."

"A tight schedule of fun?" she asked, amused by how adorable he was in this moment. "Sounds thrilling," she teased.

"Have I disappointed you thus far?"

"Not even close," she said, smiling brightly.

"Good, now scoot in the bathroom while I wrap up things out here." Olivia reluctantly rolled away from him and out of bed, adjusting his shirt to make sure it covered her butt as she headed for the bathroom. Not wanting to linger in the bed without her, he got out of the bed and headed toward the closet. "And Liv…"

"Yes?"

"You only get ten minutes and then I'm coming in, whether you are finished or not."

"What happened to locking the door to avoid temptation?"

Looking at the bed they just shared, he replied, "I think we've proven that we can handle a little temptation."

Once Olivia disappeared into the bathroom, Fitz pressed the intercom button that connected him to Esmeralda. "Good morning. How can I help you?" asked an accented voice.

"Good morning. I was hoping to meet with Mr. Merkle this morning. Will you ask him to meet me in his study in thirty minutes?"

"Mr. Merkle is at breakfast. Would you like to join him?"

"No, I don't want to interrupt. Please just ask him to meet me in his study when he's finished."

"Will do, sir. Is there anything else I can do?"

"No, thank you."

As he was disconnecting from Esmeralda, Olivia emerged from the bathroom still wearing his shirt. "It's all yours," she said, gesturing in the direction of the bathroom.

"Thanks."

Hoping for a clue about what he had planned for the day, she asked, "How will I know what to wear if you won't tell me where we are going?"

"Nice try, Liv. I'm not telling you anything. It's a surprise. All you need to know is you should dress casually."

Olivia laughed, remembering how she'd misinterpreted the same directive only a few days ago. "What if I get it wrong again?"

"There is no wrong. If you are under- or over-dressed it will give me an excuse to take you shopping."

"You don't have to do this."

"Do what?"

"Take me away to distract me. I told you I'm fine."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Isn't it?"

"Maybe, just a little." She shot him a smug, victorious smile. "But, that's not the only reason. It's not even the main reason. I'm taking you away because I want to spend the day with you uninterrupted."

"Are you taking your phone?"

He laughed. "You've only been my fiancée for two days and you've already learned to despise my phone."

"You're never unplugged. It makes you a good boss, but...," her voice trailed off.

"As my fiancée, you don't find it quite as endearing."

"It's a business trip. I expected you to be called away."

"But?"

"Today is different," she said shyly.

He nodded his head, understanding what she wasn't saying. "You don't want to risk being left alone in a strange place where you may not be comfortable." She looked up at him cautiously and nodded, chewing on her bottom lip. "You shouldn't do that," he warned, fighting against his body's response to her slight provocation. "Not dressed like that. Not if you want to leave this room today," he said, his eyes wandering wantonly across her body.

How did the air between them get so thick so fast? One minute they were having a friendly conversation about their day and the next he was looking at her like a predator stalking his prey. Olivia licked her lips nervously, making Fitz growl lowly. She knew she needed to put some distance between them before she lost her resolve. "You should shower. You said we are on a tight schedule," she said with a shaky voice.

He sighed and stepped away from her. "You're right," he said, tearing his eyes away from her before gathering his clothes from the dresser and walking toward the bathroom.

Fitz walked out the bathroom fifteen minutes later dressed in a slim navy polo, slim dark denim, and navy pair of Jordan 1 shoes. Olivia looked at him, from her position on the bed, her eyes wide with shock at seeing him in jeans and tennis shoes. "Is that what you're wearing?"

"This is completely appropriate for where we are going. I told you to dress casually," he said, sitting at the edge of the bed.

Olivia's eyes narrowed as she looked at him more closely, appreciating how his perfectly tailored clothes accentuated his muscular frame. _Damn_ , she thought to herself _, Stacey is worth every penny you pay her_. "I didn't pack anything that casual," she offered. "Stacey wouldn't allow it."

Fitz chuckled. "Sounds like Stacey. In her defense, I didn't tell her what we were doing today because _I_ didn't know until last night. Wear whatever makes you comfortable," he said, kissing her softly on the cheek and, when she made no attempt to move away from him, briefly on the lips. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go meet with Stephen. Lock the door behind me and don't open it for anyone except me. I'll call you when I am headed back to the room."

"I appreciate your concern, but don't you think you're being a little overprotective?" She made a gesture, using her thumb and index finger, keeping them close together, to illustrate her point. "Just a tad?" she teased, crinkling her nose and laughing.

"You can never be too protective," he said with a wink. Turning serious, he continued, "Both times I left you in the care of someone I trusted, they found a way to hurt you. I'm not taking any more chances."

Not wanting to reopen that particular wound, Olivia changed the topic, "You're wasting time fussing over me. Isn't Stephen waiting for you?"

"Oh, beautiful, you have no idea, I've only just begun to fuss," he said, rising from the bed and headed for the door. "Seriously, please lock the door. If for no other reason than my peace of mind."

"Go," she ordered, following him and playfully pushing him out the door, locking it behind him.

Less than an hour later, Olivia's phone rang, she checked the screen and smiled brightly at his professional headshot smiling back at her. "Your timing is perfect. I just finished getting ready. Where are you? I'll come to you."

"We've had a small change in plans." Olivia rolled her eyes and groaned loudly, preparing herself for disappointment. "I'll have none of that. Not all change is bad. Meet me on the patio. One quick question before you hang up, are you afraid of heights or small enclosed spaces?"

"Fitzgerald," she growled in a low voice, "what are you planning?"

"Just answer the question."

Olivia released an exaggerated sigh, signaling her reluctant cooperation. "No, I'm not afraid of heights or small spaces."

"Excellent! I'll see you in a few minutes." With that, Fitz abruptly disconnected the call, depriving Olivia of an opportunity to ask additional questions.

Moments later Fitz heard the unmistakable clatter of Olivia's high heels on the stone patio. He turned to greet her, opening his arms to welcome her into his embrace. She was wearing a white lace Lily Pulitzer open shoulder swing dress. A pair of adobe Stuart Weitzman Nudist sandals, simple diamond studs, a trio of stackable bracelets, and a light blue Prada small bag accessorized her dress. He didn't know what he was expecting or why he was still surprised by it, but she was a vision to behold in white. His eyes fell to her feet seconds before he wrapped her in his strong arms. "You call those casual?" he asked, referring to her four and half inch heels.

"I'm almost a foot shorter than you are, if I don't wear heels, I can't do this," she said, reaching up and cupping his face, bringing his lips to hers and kissing him softly.

"Mmmm," he moaned, gently pushing his tongue into the sweetness of her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he added, "I think I'm going to miss these moments the most."

Olivia rested her forehead against his chest. "Shhh. Let's not talk about that, not today. Today is supposed to you and me having uninterrupted fun." No sooner than the words left her mouth, a middle-aged man in a navy blue flight suit and dark aviator sunglasses approached them. "So much for uninterrupted," she pouted, gathering herself and stepping away from him.

"Mr. Grant, Ms. Pope," the man said, extending his hand, which both of them shook. "I'm Max. I will be your pilot today. Mr. Merkle explained you have a day trip planned."

"Exactly where are you taking us, Max? And why are we meeting here instead of the airport?" Olivia asked.

Max looked at Olivia and gave her a wry smile. "Mr. Merkle also explained that the destination is a surprise for Ms. Pope." Turning to Fitz, he added, "I'll try to disguise it from her as long as possible, but I'm certain she will figure it out before we land."

Fitz nodded. "Most people would. Anything you can do to increase the torture of not knowing is greatly appreciated."

"I'll do my best. If you're ready, please follow me," Max directed, leading the couple across the property away from the pool and the path to the beach toward a line of tall hedges.

Tiptoeing across the grass so that her heels did not dig in, Olivia asked, "Where are we going?"

Fitz laughed at the way she was forced to alter her signature walk to avoid sinking in the soft earth. "I told you to dress casually. You refused to listen. Do you want a piggyback ride?"

"No," she snapped at him, refusing to be a victim on his teasing, "I'll manage." As they approached the hedges, Olivia saw a small, paved opening wide enough to drive a SUV through, but impossible to see from the main house. Curious about what awaited them on the other side and eager to be on solid ground again, she hastened her stride. Following Max through the opening, she was surprised to find a clearing that had been paved to a form a landing pad, upon which, a large black helicopter waited.

Olivia froze in her tracks, her eyes wide with surprise, her mouth agape, but silent. She reached for Fitz, pulling him close when his warm hand clasped around her own. "A helicopter ride?" she asked, the awe evident in her voice. "It's too much. You shouldn't have."

She was so cute in that moment, a bundle of nervous excitement; he couldn't resist kissing her, slowly leaning down to claim her mouth. Their kiss was interrupted when Max cleared his throat, a gentle reminder that he was still there. Fitz shot him a quick, embarrassed glance, before addressing Olivia. "I didn't. It was Stephen's idea and his helicopter."

Max turned to Olivia and spoke. "I take it this is your first ride." Olivia nodded eagerly. "I'm honored to be the pilot on your maiden voyage. I just need a few minutes to review some basic safety information and we will be on our way."

When Max was finished speaking with Olivia, he opened the door to the passenger cabin and helped the couple inside. Olivia was awestruck by the luxurious interior; it was like a mini version of the Grant Enterprises jet. The passenger's cabin had two large cream leather captain's seats facing the rear of the cabin. Across from these was a bench seat that held three addition passengers. Between the two seating areas was a large cream rug with a black border. Both sides of the cabin had a large center window flanked by two smaller window, ensuring each passenger had an excellent view.

"Which seat do you prefer?" Fitz asked, gesturing between the captain's seats and the bench seat.

"I want a window seat," she said excitedly. "And, I prefer to be facing forward, but that means you'll either be stuck in the middle with the worst view or way over there," gesturing to the opposite side of the cabin.

"I'll take the middle seat. This isn't my first helicopter ride and nothing out the window will compare to the view in here."

Max rounded the helicopter, entered the pilot's cabin, and completed his pre-flight routine. When he received clearance from the FAA, he used the intercom system to alert the couple they would be taking off shortly. Olivia heard a low rumble as the helicopter blades whirred to life, lifting them into the air. Although the inside of the cabin was relatively quiet, she could observe the force of the helicopter's wind from the way the hedges bowed to the ground, the flattened grass, and the swirl of sand from the nearby beach. She was certain the commotion from their departure had drawn the attention of all in the house and was self-conscious about the extravagance.

As they lifter higher and higher into the air, Olivia's stomach began to tingle, making her giggle nervously. Fitz reached over and squeezed her hand, reassuring her that the sensation was normal. The view from the helicopter was incredible and Olivia sat in stunned silence trying to absorb and remember every second of the experience. Riding in the helicopter was like magic and the aquamarine water, light brown sandy beaches and luscious green perfectly manicured landscaping of the oceanfront mansions enchanted her. Fitz sat beside her stoically, clearly in his element, watching her react as the privileges of his world were extended to her.

"This is incredible," she gushed, keeping her eyes fixed out the window. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"It most certainly is," Fitz replied, keeping his eyes fixed on her. Olivia didn't have to look at him to know he was talking about her, she could feel his heated gaze on her skin. This was their fourth day together and being the object of his desire still made her weak. _Damn him_ , she thought, feeling a rush of heat rise up from her center.

Oliva remained transfixed, staring out the window, until they were over the Long Island Sound and all that there was to see was water in every direction. Shifting in her seat so that she was facing Fitz, she whispered, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. This was all Stephen."

"It may be his helicopter, but this moment, this experience, is one hundred percent Fitzgerald Grant."

"What can I say? You inspire me."

"Since you're feeling inspired, how about a little clue about where we are going." Olivia looked out the window and saw they were once again over land, but there was nothing distinguishing about the landscape. "I think we are heading west, but maybe we're heading north. It's hard to tell and I'm not convinced Max is taking the most direct route to our mystery destination."

"I admire your doggedness. It makes not telling you that much more enjoyable."

Olivia threw her head back and groaned in frustration. "You may be the most stubborn man I know."

Fitz laughed heartily. "That's rich coming from you. You're just not used to men telling you no. It's one of the curses of being a beautiful woman."

Something about Fitz's phrasing made her flashback to her encounter with Seth the previous night. "Can I ask you a question?"

"You just did," he replied, cheekily.

Olivia shook her head at the absurdity of her initial question and his response. She was normally more careful with her words, but she was nervous about broaching this next topic with him. "Who is Elizabeth?" she asked softly.

Olivia watched as Fitz transformed in front of her. His face shifted to a stony, cold expression and his body went rigid as he retreated inside himself. Instead of looking at her, he looked around her and out the window, seeing, but not seeing. After ten seconds of awkward and uncomfortable silence, he finally spoke. "I don't talk about her."

"Oh," she said and looked away, unsure exactly how best to proceed now that she'd accidentally touched the third rail. The tension between the pair was palpable as they both processed what was said and left unsaid.

When he could bear it, he turned to her and searched her face, trying to gauge her response to his reaction. His steely façade cracked as he observed her momentarily chastened and made small. It pained him to know he was the one that stole her joy. "Liv…," he said, touching her arm, to get her attention. Olivia flinched slightly when he made contact. Fitz sighed audibly and raked his hand through his hair in frustration. "I deserved that. I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," she said coldly. "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't mean to overstep."

"You didn't overstep, you couldn't. How do you know her name?"

"Seth mentioned her twice last night, at least I think he did. He didn't use her name the first time."

"What do you want to know?"

"I respect your boundaries. You don't have to talk about her."

"I want to. Well, I don't want to, but I want to be open with you."

Olivia looked up at him, her eyes revealing her uncertainty. Proceeding cautiously, she asked, "Did you love her?"

"Yes, very much."

Encouraged, by his direct response, she continued. "Why did you break-up?"

"We didn't." Olivia looked at him, her confusion evident by her expression. He took his index finger and ran it along the furrow in her brow, smoothing it gently. "She died," he said in a hushed, cracking voice.

Her look of soul-deep sorrow crushed him, threatening to make him lose his fragile grasp on composure. "Don't, please, I can't hold it together through this conversation when you're looking at me like a broken puppy."

Olivia understood what he was asking. Masking her emotions, she asked, "Have you loved anyone since?"

He looked at her, his eyes softening. "No, but I haven't given up on that possibility." Fitz smiled with relief when, in his peripheral vision, he saw the outskirts of a city beneath them. Nodding in the direction of the window, he said, "I think the clue you've been waiting for is finally here."

Olivia turned her body to the window and studied the city intently. As they traveled further into the city, Olivia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she started to recognize some of her hometown's landmarks. "Boston," she said, more of a question than a statement.

Fitz was perplexed by her statement. He expected her to be more excited, but her body language was all over the place. "Are you asking me? Boston is your city. Are we there or not?"

Olivia flashed him a weak smile. "It's definitely Boston."

"Are you disappointed? You don't look happy."

"I'm not disappointed," she explained. "It's just not what I expected. I was convinced you were taking me to New York to see _Hamilton_."

"Would you rather go to New York?" he asked too quickly. "I can talk to the pilot and change our plans."

She rested a hand on his knee. "No, don't be silly, I'm happy to be in Boston," she said, her body language starting to match her words. "I was just shocked to recognize the cityscape. I haven't been home in eight years. I'm sorry to seem disappointed or ungrateful. This is why I hate surprises," she explained, her frustration with her response evident in her tone. "Come here," she said warmly, inviting Fitz to move closer to her so they could share a view, "let me give you a tour of my city."

Pleased that the tension from earlier had dissipated, Fitz wrapped his arms around Olivia and pulled her close to him. "You know I lived here for three years, right?"

"A trust fund kid spending three years in grad school at Harvard hardly qualifies as living in Boston."

Fitz watched as Olivia pointed out her highlights of the city, regaling him with funny tales from her childhood and misspent adolescence. She lit up as they flew over the baseball stadium, "I've never seen this view of Fenway. It's more impressive from the air than it is from the ground level." Olivia leaned closer to the window, taking in the activity on the ground around the stadium. "Fitz," she squealed loudly, turning to face him, "your surprise is Red Sox game!" She looked at her watch and noted the date. Beaming brightly, she continued, the excitement growing in her voice, "Not just any Sox game. It's a home game against the Yankees. With all that was going on I totally forgot today is game day."

Fitz couldn't suppress his smile as he watched a giddy Olivia absorb the first part of his surprise. "Now, that's the reaction I was hoping for," he said placing a kiss against her forehead. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather see _Hamilton_?"

She swatted him playfully. "Don't be cute. You know your surprise is better than the one I thought you planned. I warned you I am terrible at receiving surprises."

"What you are is a control freak. You need to learn to let someone else take charge every once in a while. You'd be surprised how good it feels to be take care of."

"I let you take care of me," she retorted.

"Only because I don't give you another option. If you had it your way you'd be consulted on every decision I make."

"Not every decision, just the important ones," she replied cheekily. Olivia felt the helicopter bank left and start to descend into the heart of the city. She looked around for clear ground where they could land, but didn't see any open spaces nearby. "Where are we landing?"

"At Merkle Industries' Boston headquarters. My guess is it's one of those buildings over there," Fitz replied, pointing to a group of buildings with landing pads on the roofs.

Olivia looked at her watch. "We have three hours until the game starts. What's first on your tightly packed schedule of fun?"

Right on cue, Fitz's stomach growled. "Food. I'm starving."

"Do we have a reservation?"

"Are you trying to hijack my day of surprises?"

"Surprises? Plural?"

"Do you really think I'd bring you to Boston and the only thing we would do is go to a baseball game? I have a full day planned."

"So you do have a reservation?"

"Actually, no," he said sheepishly. "There's a driver waiting for us once we land -"

"Do you ever drive yourself?"

Fitz considered her question. "Sometimes, if I need to get away and clear my head. I've found navigating cities is much easier when you don't have to worry about traffic or parking. Why? Do you want to drive? We can rent a car."

"Are you always this agreeable?" she asked, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"Only with you," he responded glibly, but honestly. "I want you to be happy. You deserve to have whatever it is your little heart desires, assuming it's within my power to give. Do you want to rent a car?"

"The driver is fine. It's just your lifestyle – private jets, helicopters, and drivers – a girl could get used to living like this."

Fitz leaned forward and looked at her intently. "Would that be so bad?"

Uncomfortable under the intensity of his gaze, Olivia moved away from him. Did he just ask if she could live in his world? With him? He knew she was married, although, admittedly, she hadn't been acting like it lately. At the beginning of the trip, she thought faking their intimacy would be the most challenging part of their time together. She was not in any way prepared for how right it felt to be touched, kissed, and held by him.

She remembered how anxious she was on the first day of the trip to share a room with him. At that time, it seemed unfathomable that she would ask him to share her bed a little over twenty-four hours later. What, if anything, did it mean that when her safety was threatened she sought solace in Fitz's arms and not with her husband?

Had things between them really escalated to the point where his statement warranted consideration? Was he really floating the possibility that they could be more, that this, what was happening between them, could be real? That couldn't be what he meant. Fitz was a confirmed bachelor and proud of his Casanova lifestyle. She must have misunderstood what he said.

Fitz could practically see the wheels spinning in her head. He hadn't intended to put himself out there like that, but now that he had, he refused to walk back the comment. He had been struggling for the past couple of days with the question. Could Olivia be the woman he was waiting for, the one with whom he would share the rest of his life? He didn't know, but each moment he spent with her made him long for another, something he hadn't felt in a long time.

These positive thoughts were countered by the nagging question if his attraction to her was fueled by the knowledge he couldn't have her, not really. If she were single would he feel the same way or would he grow bored with her as he did all the others? All he knew was that in three days she'd endeared herself to him in a way no other woman had and his desire for her had become everything, consuming his every thought. However, whatever was happening between them was more than just physical. She was special and, as much as he wanted to possess her, his desire to care for her, protect her, and make her happy was stronger.

Deciding to interrupt Olivia's thoughts, he said, "Boston is your city, you should select the restaurant, unless you want to eat in Cambridge."

Olivia crinkled her face in mock disgust. "Why would a local girl want to hang out in Cambridge? We're going to Mike's City Diner. I just hope we don't have to wait too long."

"You let me worry about that. I can be fairly persuasive."

"I don't know," she teased. "You couldn't convince Rebecca to give you my number."

"That was fifteen years ago. I've honed my skills considerably since then. Wouldn't you agree?" he asked, winking at her.

Olivia and Fitz grew silent as they made their final descent to their destination. They watched with admiration as the pilot skillfully settled the helicopter in the center of the pad. Max put the chopper blades on idle, opened the door to his cabin, hopped out to the roof, and went over to the passenger cabin door. He reached up and offered Olivia a hand, helping her step out of the helicopter onto the roof of the forty-story building. She stood there confidently, taking in the view, her hair blowing in the brisk wind. Fitz slowly walked up behind her, careful not to startle her, and wrapped his masculine arms around her small waist, kissing her along her neck. She leaned her head back against his chest, sighing contently.

"It's incredible," she said with awe in her voice, looking out at the cityscape.

"Now you how I feel every time you walk into a room." Olivia shivered in his arms. They both knew she was reacting to his words and not the chill from the steady breeze, but he held her tighter, rubbing his hands up and down her arms anyway.

Max gave the couple a few moments before intruding. "Mr. Grant, Ms. Pope," he called. The pair turned their attention to him, waiting for the next instruction. "So, how was your first helicopter ride?" he asked Olivia.

"I'm not sure there are words. The juxtaposition of nature's beauty and man's creation is astonishing from that vantage point. It made me feel small by comparison."

Fitz chuckled, "You are small compared to most things. You are a tiny, tiny person."

"I'm told good things come in small package," she retorted in a sultry voice that captured both Fitz and Max's attention.

Max cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable with the couple's public affection for each other. Turning his eyes to Fitz, he asked, "When did she figure out where we were going?"

"Not until we were directly over the city."

"Very good," he said, beaming with pride. "That's what I was hoping for. Now I'm satisfied I met your expectations for the journey, I have just a few small updates for you and then you'll be on your way. I called the driver on our approach and alerted him to your arrival. He should be downstairs waiting for you. When we're done, I'll badge you into the building. You should take the elevators to the ground floor and exit through the front of the building. My plan is to spend the day in the city. I understand you have a full day planned, but should be ready to return around six o'clock. Is that correct?"

"That's correct." Olivia looked at Fitz through curious slanted eyes. She knew the game started a little after one o'clock. It shouldn't last more than three hours. What did he have planned for the remaining time? "Don't look at me like that," he playfully chided her. "You will know what I have planned when I'm ready for you to know and not a second sooner."

Max laughed at their exchange. It was obvious from their banter, and the fact they couldn't keep their hands off each other, the couple was deeply in love. Being with them was a welcome change from the humorless senior executives he usually transported for Merkle Industries. "I just sent you a text message with my contact information. When you are ready to return to the Merkles' just call or send me a text. I won't stray far, but it takes me about 30 minutes to run through my pre-flight safety checks. It would be best if you could give me an hour's notice, but I understand projecting your ETA will be a little tricky given traffic and other intangibles. Unless there is anything else I can do for you, I will show you to the elevators."

"We have everything we need. Thanks, Max," Fitz said, extending his hand to the pilot.

Max shook Fitz's hand firmly "It was my pleasure, sir." He pivoted to Olivia and smiled warmly. "Welcome home. I hope you enjoy your day of surprises."

"Thanks! I'm looking forward to the game. It's been too long since I've been to Fenway."

The trio entered the building and walked toward the elevators. Max pressed the button calling the elevator to the roof and the group waited in silence. When the elevator arrived, Fitz and Olivia entered, but Max remained outside. "You're not joining us?" Olivia asked.

He shook his head. "No, I have some things to wrap up here before I can leave."

Olivia nodded, "I hope you are not here too long. You should get out and enjoy the city."

"It should be rather routine. I won't be far behind you. Enjoy the game!"

With that statement, the elevator doors closed and the pair was whisked away. When the elevators doors opened, Fitz and Olivia made their way to the front of the building. Waiting at the curb was a young man in a black suit standing in front of a black Cadillac Escalade.

The couple exited the building and the driver greeted them warmly, his eyes lingering on Olivia a little longer than necessary. "Mr. Grant, ma'am, welcome to Boston. My name is John and I'll be your driver for the day," he said opening the rear passenger door for Olivia to enter the vehicle. Fitz and John circled the automobile and entered from their respective doors. When all were settled, John asked, "What's first on your agenda?"

Olivia spoke up, "Mike's Diner please."

"On Washington Street?"

"That's the one."

"Interesting choice," the driver mused.

Fitz made eye contact with the driver in the rearview mirror. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, sir," John replied quickly. "I just expected you to select a different restaurant. Mike's is a traditional greasy diner. I don't take a lot of businessmen there."

"We're not in Boston for business. Our trip is purely pleasure and, as you will soon learn, I am powerless to resist my beautiful fiancée. If it is greasy diner food she craves, it is greasy diner food she shall have." Olivia looked at him curiously, asking with her eyes why he was continuing with the engagement ruse. Fitz locked eyes with Olivia and then diverted his eyes to the large engagement ring on her left hand before returning his gaze to her face. Olivia smiled in silent response, signaling her understanding.

Less than 15 minutes later, John stopped the SUV in front of a brick building with black awnings where a small crowd had gathered and was milling about. He turned to look at the couple and announced, "We have arrived at your destination."

"This is it?" Fitz asked with a frown.

"This is it," Olivia replied, smiling brightly. "It may not be much to look at, but good local food rarely comes from a place that does. Do you see those people waiting outside? We can't all be wrong. Do you trust me?"

He laughed at the irony of her turning his words back on him. All week he had been pleading with her to trust him and she had. Now, it was his turn to take a small leap of faith. He looked at how excited Olivia was to share a slice of her history. He planned this day for her and he wouldn't disappoint her now by refusing to cooperate. Before he could answer, John was opening her door and reaching for her hand to help her out of vehicle. She accepted his hand and moved to step out of the SUV. At the last minute, she turned her head and flashed him a beguiling smile. "Are you coming?"

"I'm right behind you," he said sliding across the bench seat to follow her.

John closed the door behind Fitz. "I'm going to find somewhere, hopefully close, to park. Text me when you are wrapping up and I will meet you out front. I hope you enjoy your meal," he said with a soft chuckle.

Fitz reached for Olivia's hand and she instinctively intertwined her fingers with his and leaned against him. He kissed her on the top of her head and said, "Wait here. I'll go inside and put our name on the list."

"Be sure to ask how long the wait is. We should have plenty of time to get to Fenway, but game day traffic is always terrible. Even with John, we should allow for plenty of time to get there."

Fitz nodded his head and headed into the restaurant. He swaggered up to the hostess and flashed her his trademark lopsided grin. "Hey, how are you today?

"I'm good. You want to put your name on the list?" she replied, apparently unaffected by his presence.

"Yes, I'm Fitz, and you are?" he said, allowing the pause to linger until she offered her name.

"Rachel."

"That's a beautiful name."

"Thank you," she said, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "How can I help you?"

"I surprised my fiancée with a day trip to Boston for the baseball game and as soon as we landed the first thing she wanted to do is eat here."

"She's obviously a woman with excellent taste."

Fitz laughed. She was flirting with him maybe his plan would work. He reached into his front jean pocket and palmed a folded bill. "I'm flattered. I was hoping you could do me a huge favor and seat us at the next available table with your best waitress." She raised her eyebrows questioningly when he discretely handed her the palmed bill. "For your trouble," he explained.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks." As Fitz turned to leave the restaurant, he caught Rachel eyeing him appreciatively. He smirked with satisfaction as he pushed open the door and joined Olivia.

"Someone's proud of himself," she said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Is that grin for me or the hostess?"

Aware of the people surrounding them on the sidewalk, he settled for pecking her lips softly. "You're the only woman I care about today. I couldn't even tell you her hair color."

Shortly later, the restaurant door opened and a young woman poked her head out of the door and called Fitz's name. Olivia leaned around Fitz, so she could see the person speaking. "She's a brunette," she whispered.

"I couldn't care less." With that, Fitz placed his hand on the small of Olivia's back and guided her into the restaurant following the hostess.

Rachel led them to a window table where they were seated. "Lily, your waitress, will be with you in a moment. Can I get you something to drink while you wait?" she asked Fitz, leaning over him and turning to the beverage section of the menu, giving him a good view of her cleavage.

Fitz watched Olivia stew quietly. She had no reason to be jealous, but he liked the way it looked on her. "I'll take a coffee, black, and a water please. Livvie, darling," he called, "what do you want?"

Olivia knew Fitz was goading her and chewed the inside of her cheek to avoid giving into him. She wasn't jealous. She was pissed. She didn't appreciate the hostess' brazen act of disrespect nor the way Fitz responded to it. When she was calm, she cleared her throat, getting Rachel's attention. She picked up her menu, holding it so her massive, but elegant engagement ring was on full display. "I'll take a small orange juice and a water. Have the waitress bring them. Thanks," she said coldly while smiling sweetly at the young woman, her message clear.

Rachel flushed with embarrassment. "I'll send Lily over right away with your drinks," she said, before scurrying away.

"She's cute," Olivia said bitingly, not looking at Fitz.

"Down tiger!" he said laughing. "You didn't have to crush her spirit. I told her I'm engaged. She is harmless. I didn't say anything to John when he let his eyes linger in the places I'm not allowed to touch."

Olivia glared at him. "I didn't do anything to encourage John. Can you say the same about her?"

"I'm not interested in the hostess," he said, placing extra emphasis on his last word.

"I was a waitress once, you were interested in me."

"That's different. Even then I could tell you were special and she…well…she isn't you. I could live a hundred lives and I'm certain I would find you and want you in each of them. I just hope that in one I find you before you marry someone else."

Olivia gasped audibly. He didn't know why he said that. Maybe it was because he knew their time together was coming to an end and he was desperate to hold onto her for longer. Whatever the reason, it was the second time today his loose language had put them in an uncomfortable position. Fitz looked at her, his eyes searching her face for signs to what part of his statement had prompted such a response. Without preamble he asked, "The desire? You have to know that's real. You've felt it once."

"Twice," she said, again not making eye contact with him.

"Twice? I was careful when we were on the sun lounger."

"Not then. When you were sleep. You surprised me, I didn't think you were a cuddler."

"I'm not. I guess I'm just drawn to you," he said sheepishly. "I hope I didn't make things worse for you.

"You didn't." She wanted to say something else to cut through the uncomfortable tension. To tell him he wasn't alone. That she was drawn to him too. That he wasn't alone in his desire. That instead of recoiling from his arousal, she leaned into it, her core moist and throbbing with yearning to be filled by him.

But, she didn't, she couldn't. If she admitted those things, he would break through the final wall between them. Once he did that, she didn't know if she would be able to stop herself. She would fall over the precipice with him and ruin both of them in the process. She had to be the strong one, the disciplined one; she had to save them both from themselves. So, instead of saying any of the things she was feeling, she said, "You should stop talking and look at the menu. The waitress will be here to take our order soon. This is a diner. You don't want to anger her by not being ready when it's our turn. Time is money to her."

Fitz's shoulders slumped and he didn't bother to hide the disappointment in his eyes. He was certain she was holding back, that there was more that she wanted to say, but instead she retreated inside herself, using the waitress as a distraction. Whatever she was thinking or feeling she was determined to keep it to herself and he wasn't about to ruin their day by forcing her to go somewhere she wasn't ready to be. Instead, he opened his menu. "Should I be alarmed that the second and third things on the menu are called Emergency Room and Intensive Care?"

"Not at all," she said, laughing at him. "Boston University Hospital is nearby. It's just a shout out to some of their best customers."

"Everything on this menu must be at least a thousand calories. I can't believe you've ever eaten here."

"Stop your whining. I'm the one that has to pour herself into an unforgiving gown tonight. You'll still be a sexy beast in the morning. That whole thing you have going on under those clothes," she said, gesturing toward his chest and abdomen, "can't be undone by one meal. If it makes you feel better we can run ten miles in the morning. You can sweat out all the greasy food toxins."

"You like what I have going on under these clothes?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at her.

Olivia giggled nervously, "Shut up and decide what you want to eat. Our waitress is coming."

After the waitress took their order, the pair moved into safer territory, having a lively conversation about sports, movies, and their other passions. Olivia learned Fitz played lacrosse in high school and he learned she played Sandy in her high school's production of _Grease_. She was shocked to find that, despite living in Cambridge for three years, he'd never attended a live Boston sporting event and he was horrified to learn she'd never seen _Pulp Fiction_. She laughed until she cried when he admitted his guilty pleasure in graduate school was singing karaoke at Hong Kong Boston, a local dive bar, and that his go to song was Billy Ray Cyrus' _Achy Breaky Heart_. His bruised ego was soothed some when she revealed she too sang karaoke, her go to song the far more respectable _Killing Me Softly with His Song_ by the Fugees.

When their food arrived, Olivia watched quietly as Fitz sampled his meal. He ordered the Emergency Room - eggs, pancakes, bacon, home fries, and toast. Fitz took his time tasting each item on his plate, intentionally prolonging Olivia's suffering as she waited for his verdict regarding the food. When she could take no more, she asked, "Well?"

"It's good, very good. Better than I expected and exactly what you promised. Excellent choice Ms. Pope."

Olivia visibly relaxed. "I was afraid you were going to hate it. I realized while we were sitting here that I haven't lived in Boston as an adult. I was twenty-one when I moved to Miami. All of my memories are from childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. I was panicked that something I thought was great when I was nineteen wouldn't be edible to a man used to dining in five star restaurants," she said cutting her pancakes in a crisscross pattern and placing a bite sized stack into her mouth.

"I could never hate something that is important to you. The smile on your face right now is worth the calories alone."

Olivia felt a sudden heat rushing to her cheeks and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. He had this disarming way with words that always turned her insides to goo. How could any woman be expected to resist his relentless charm? She looked at him curiously. "What?" he asked between forkfuls of food.

"I'm trying to figure out why you're single."

"That's easy. I am not afraid to be single. I travel too much. I party too hard. I get bored easily, making monogamy a challenge. I'm an only child and a senior executive, so I'm not used to compromising. I'm a little entitled and a lot spoiled. I'm a mama's boy and I steal the covers. That's a lot for any woman to handle." Olivia sat there is stunned silence. She expected him to say something witty, not give her a list of his flaws. "You look surprised."

"I wasn't expecting such candor and insight."

"I told you, I don't lie to you. You know exactly who I am. Was anything on that list new information for you?"

"I didn't know you steal the covers," she said cheekily.

"That's because your little body was wrapped up in mine all night. You were never far enough away to get cold. Usually it's an issue."

Olivia laughed. He always had a comeback. Always had to have the last word. It was at times endearing and at others, it was infuriating. Today, she found him endearing. Today, he was Lewis Carroll's White Rabbit innocently leading her down a rabbit-hole for which there is no obvious escape. Was Olivia curious enough about him and bored enough with her marriage to play the role of Alice and take the plunge into Fitz's Wonderland?

Olivia stopped fantasizing about Fitz and focused on the real version sitting in front of her. While she was asleep, Fitz had thoughtfully planned and executed a daytrip to Boston so they wouldn't have to spend the day at the Merkles' avoiding Seth. That was enough, more than enough, she shouldn't be lusting about what else she could take from him. She looked up and noticed he was staring at her, grinning broadly. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just watching you disappear inside your head. Whatever you were thinking about made you smile, which made me smile watching you. Care to share?"

"No."

"Not even a little hint?" Fitz was fairly certain Olivia had been thinking about him, but she had been so guarded during their conversation it was impossible to know for sure.

"All you need to know is being here, in Boston, with you today has made me very happy."

"It's the least I could do to thank you for all you've done for me this weekend."

"I think you overstate my role. We still don't know last night didn't draw unwelcome attention to our relationship nor do we know what's going on with the Merkles."

"I'm not worrying about that today and neither should you. Today, we are seeing the best Boston has to offer in eight hours."

Before he could say anything more, the waitress approached the table, refilling Fitz's coffee and placing the bill on his side of the table. Fitz pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted John to let him know they were ready. Taking advantage of Fitz's distraction, Olivia surprised him by reaching across the table and snatching up the bill. "What are you doing?"

Olivia looked at him innocently. "I'm paying for breakfast."

Fitz couldn't remember the last time a woman offered to pay for a meal, hell to pay for anything, when they were out. It was always assumed, because of his wealth and gender, he would pay for everything. When he was younger, that assumption irked him greatly, but, as he aged, he grew so accustomed to his role that he habitually reached for his wallet whenever payment was required. "Give it to me Liv. I'm not letting you pay for our meal."

"Not letting me?" she scoffed cynically, opening her purse and pulling out her wallet.

"You know I didn't mean it that way."

"How did you mean it?" she asked, retrieving two twenty-dollar bills from her wallet.

"I'm supposed to be treating you today."

"You've been treating me all week. Let me do this small thing for you," she pleaded.

"Thank you," Fitz said sincerely, indicating he was giving in to her request. "But, after this, promise me you will put your wallet away. You won't need it again until we get back to Miami."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement, placing the cash and bill on the table. Fitz rose from his seat and moved toward Olivia, helping her from her seat. When they were both standing, she held out her right hand to him and he accepted, engulfing her much smaller hand in his as he led her out of the restaurant and into car waiting for them at the curb to take them to their next destination.

 **A/N: Well, Fitz is getting bolder, letting his truth spill out to Olivia. What is his motivation? Is he wrong to put Olivia, his married assistant, in this position? If Olivia gives in to him and cheats, does that change the way he sees her? Does she stop being his Madonna and become a whore? As always, I'm eager to read your thoughts about what you liked and disliked.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Thanks for your feedback about the chapter length and posting frequency. I'm still undecided about my strategy, but this chapter and the next will be longer. There is a lot that I have planned for our favorite couple for their day together in Boston and at the Merkles' ball and I didn't want to drag it out over more than three chapters. Below is the second of three chapters planned for their day together. I hope you enjoy!**

After a quick pit stop at Copley Place to find a more suitable outfit - True Religion ripped skinny jeans with a navy tank top and red Gucci high top sneakers - for Olivia, the pair were headed to Fenway Park. Instead of being dropped off at the ballpark, Olivia requested that John drop them off at Kenmore Square so they could join the crowd and walk the rest of the distance. Fitz thought the request was odd, but she explained the walk was an important part of her pre-game tradition.

It only took him a few moments among the crowd to understand why. There was a low, pulsing hum of excitement and expectation in the air. Fitz scanned the crowd, the team's red, white, and blue adorned fans chatting amicably with each other and heckling the occasional Yankees' fan. He watched Olivia as she blended in seamlessly with those around her, at times interacting with her fellow fans, but mostly walking quietly, taking in the moment. The closer they got to the entrance, the more she relaxed, her guarded demeanor from the past few days slipping away. These were her people. She was finally home. Fitz didn't know what the day would bring, but he was hopeful she would continue to relax and allow herself to be more fully seen.

Olivia led Fitz to will call to collect their tickets. As they approached the window, he grew a little nervous. He took all possible precaution to ensure he hadn't been scammed, but the short timeframe and the splashy way they attracted attention to his offer worried him. He released a huge sigh of relief when he was handed the two tickets. Olivia, sensing Fitz's reaction, turned to him and asked, "Everything OK?"

"Everything's fine. Better than that, everything's perfect. Where to?" Olivia reached out and tried to grab the tickets from his hand. Fitz quickly moved his hand and the tickets out of her reach. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You asked where to. I need to know which luxury box we're crashing to map out our route."

"Nice try. Let me worry about our seats. I believe you owe me a hat and I assume you plan to wear a jersey over that tank."

"I thought I was supposed to put my wallet away for the rest of the trip," Olivia teased.

"No one said you were paying for anything. Now, lead the way woman," he said, lightly tickling her side. "We have jerseys to buy."

Olivia giggled softly, leaning into Fitz before pulling away. "It's a bit of a tourist trap and ridiculously overpriced, but I know just the place," she said, wrapping her arm around his waist and leading him through the crowd.

Fitz looked down at her and smiled. Without her heels, she barely reached his shoulders, yet her presence consumed his conscious. He was acutely aware of every breath she drew, every sound she made, and every slight movement she took. Fitz slowly slid his hand down her spine, the tank's thin material doing little to shield him from her skin's burning heat. He paused briefly when he reached the waistband of her jeans before pressing forward, sliding his hand over her ass and into her left back pocket. Olivia shot him a look questioning his action, but made no effort to remove his hand.

Olivia stopped in front of the Red Sox Team Store on Yawkey Way. "Anything and everything you ever wanted with Sox logo can be purchased here. Come," she said dragging him inside.

Once inside, Olivia moved quickly and efficiently, purchasing a white home Betts jersey for herself, a scarlet Ortiz jersey for him, and a navy new era fitted cap for him with his credit card. Fitz scanned the space for a place to change. "There's no fitting room," Olivia said as she pulled her jersey on over her tank. "You can change in here or out there," she said, gesturing to the crowded street outside the store. "Unless you want to create a scene, I recommend changing in here where I will be the only woman shamelessly ogling you."

Fitz pulled his polo over his head, revealing his chiseled chest and abdomen. Olivia stifled a moan, imagining what it would be like to be trapped beneath him, his delicious weight pinning her to the mattress as he slowly thrusted inside her. The sound of Fitz's laughter brought her back to reality. "I thought you were kidding about the shameless ogling."

"Not ogling, just checking to make sure breakfast didn't do any lasting damage. I wouldn't want to be responsible for ruining one of Miami's most eligible bachelors."

Fitz chuckled, putting on the jersey, it wasn't breakfast that threatened to ruin him for other women, it was her. "Everything you hoped it would be?" he asked, tucking his hair under his cap. Olivia didn't think it was possible, but Fitz looked better standing in front of her than she'd fantasized he would. All hints of the detached businessman were erased, replaced with a gently aging jock that oozed sex and swagger. There was a quiet confidence about him that she found hard to resist.

"And more," she replied. She reached out and tucked a stray curl above his ear under the edge of his hat, her fingers continued to the nape of his neck as she debated the idea of kissing him. They'd grown comfortable with each other over the past few days and that increased the intimacy between them. Olivia rationalized to herself that allowing this intimacy, even in private, was all part of playing the role of Fitz's fiancée, a role she and Jake understood would require some physical exchanges. But, could she justify kissing him now, when there was no reason for the pretense?

Fitz could tell she was fighting the urge to kiss him. He'd hoped this moment, the moment when she would reveal her true desires. Yes, he knew she was married, but that was a small obstacle for them to overcome if she was willing. There were no kids, pets or complicated financial entanglements. All that bound her to her husband was love and commitment. If she began to question the love, how long would it take her to breech their commitment?

From the tension in her body and her labored breathing, he knew she only needed one little push, permission to act on her feelings, but he couldn't be the one to give it to her. This decision had to be hers and hers alone, otherwise the doubt and the guilt would cripple any progress they made. Any action she took had to be undoubtedly what she wanted and not what he seduced her into doing. Therefore, instead of leaning forward and fusing their lips, he remained stock, silently willing her to act.

Olivia stood there, paralyzed by indecision. She could give into the moment, step forward, and kiss Fitz; exploring what could have been if things had gone differently that night fifteen years ago. Nevertheless, things hadn't gone differently that night or any subsequent night before she married Jake. She made a commitment to Jake, a commitment she reaffirmed before leaving with Fitz. What did it say about her marriage that she was questioning her commitment after spending three and a half days with Fitz? She was enjoying being part of Fitz's world, but she couldn't lose sight of her reality. At the end of the day, she was married to another man, a man that she claimed to love deeply. This thing with Fitz, whatever it was, wasn't real and it didn't have a future. Ignoring her libido, she took a step backwards, exhaling deeply, and asked, "Where to next?"

Fitz, trying to hide his disappointment, replied cheerfully, "I believe we need beer and hot dogs."

"They will bring those to you in the luxury box. Shall we head that way?"

"Lead the way."

Olivia led them into ballpark. "You know…I would be a better tour guide if I knew where I was supposed to be leading you."

Fitz smiled and said, "You're right. I'll take it from here," leading her in the direction of left field. They passed the seats behind home plate and continued walking past the sections along the third baseline.

After they passed the best of the third baseline seats and the last entry that led to the luxury seats, Olivia turned to Fitz and asked, "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"I'm sure," Fitz replied, ignoring the tone in Olivia's voice.

Olivia continued walking, losing confidence in him with every step. "Fitz, we're running out of options. The only thing ahead is the Green Monster…." Olivia squealed and spontaneously jumped into his arms, peppering Fitz's face with small, light kisses. He was unprepared for Olivia's unguarded reaction, but recovered quickly, catching her easily. "We have Monster Seats for a Yankees game," she squealed. "How? These tickets are impossible to get."

"Nothing is impossible with the proper motivation, and you my dear," he paused, pecking her lips, "could inspire a man to routinely achieve the impossible. Are you ready to head up to our seats?" Olivia nodded her head excitedly. Fitz grabbed her gently by the waist and eased her down to the ground.

The pair made their way up the steps, got their hands stamped for the Monster Seat section, crossed the connecting bridge, and found their way to Section M1, where a pair of the most coveted seats in baseball waited for them. Fitz watched as Olivia's eyes grew wide as she took in her surroundings. "You've never been up here?" he asked.

"No, I've always wanted to, but could never justify the extravagance," she said shyly.

Fitz used his index finger to lift Olivia's chin, forcing her to look at him. "Hey," he said softly, "don't shrink away from me. There's no reason to feel insecure. I understand."

"No, you don't," she countered.

Fitz smiled shyly. "I'm the first generation of Grants to be born into wealth. My grandfather and father instilled in me the importance and value of hard work. While I can't completely put myself in your shoes, I understand. It's, in part, why we're here. You deserve to be spoiled, to have your every desire indulged. Although you're a huge pain in the ass about surprises, I'm honored that you've given me the opportunity to do so."

Suddenly overcome with guilt by how easy it was to forget about Jake when she was in the moment with Fitz, Olivia lifted her chin off his finger and looked away from him. Not fifteen minutes ago, she was pulling away from him only to be sucked right back in by his unrelenting devotion. "We should find our seats," she mumbled, nervously fidgeting with her engagement ring.

"Please don't do this?" he pleaded.

"Do what?" she asked, her eyes searching his for answers.

"Retreat back inside yourself. Just stay here, with me, in the moment."

Olivia smiled, her eyes softening. She intertwined her fingers with his, bringing his knuckles to her lips. "We should find our seats," she said in a strong, clear voice, waiting for him to lead the way.

Fitz led her the short distance to their seats, two green swivel stools in front of a long countertop that stretched the length of the row. Olivia sat in her seat, twisting from side to side like a young girl. "I thought the view of Fenway from the helicopter was impressive, but it doesn't compare to this. The entire ballpark is in front of us. We are on the second row, but you can't see the people in front of or behind us. It feels like a private viewing just for us," she gushed.

"I was worried you would be disappointed. That you would prefer to be closer to the action."

"Disappointed? We are literally sitting on a piece of baseball history. This is one of the best seats at Fenway and God only knows what you had to do to get these tickets. There is not a single disappointing thing about being here with you," she said, taking out her phone to capture a photograph of the panoramic view.

"Here, give me your phone," Fitz instructed. "I'll take a couple of you with the ballpark in the background," he said, reaching for her phone. He took a couple of pictures, discreetly sending his favorite to his phone, before returning her phone. "Now, a selfie of the two of us with my phone?" he asked. "I promise not to post it." Olivia agreed easily, posing behind a seated Fitz, her face pressed beside his and her arms draped around his shoulders.

"Let me see it," she said, taking the phone from his hand. It was one of those photos you saw on a couples' wedding website. They appeared undeniably happy, both looking as much at each other as the camera, smiling brightly, their eyes twinkling with excitement. They looked like a couple crazy in love, their only priority being each other, everything else an irrelevant distraction. Olivia mused at how the camera had captured so much of what she was feeling. She wasn't in love with Fitz, but he did make her ridiculously happy and, at the moment, that seemed to be his only concern.

Olivia handed the phone back to Fitz. "Do you want me to send it to you?" he asked.

"No," she replied with a hint of sadness in her voice. "I'm already ducking Jake's calls. If he knew I was spending the day with you in Boston, it would just make him crazy."

Fitz was surprised and excited by this revelation, but resisted the urge to gloat. "You can take his call. When I said I wanted to spend uninterrupted time with you, I didn't intend for you to ignore him.

"I know. I'm just not ready to talk to him. I'm not ready to talk to anyone. I just want to be here with you and enjoy the game. Is that OK?"

"Of course," he said, pulling her into a side hug and kissing her temple. "I'm willing to do anything you need me to do. I'm going to get our hot dogs and beers -"

"Fenway Franks," she interrupted.

"What?"

"The hot dogs here are Fenway Franks. Don't want you sounding like a tourist."

"Fenway Franks got it. Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Peanuts. We need a bag of peanuts." Fitz raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "I'll explain when you get back."

Fitz returned a few moments later, his arms loaded down with his concession stand loot. "OK, spill, what's the story with the peanuts?"

"My father, in a moment of brilliance, decided to celebrate our family's return to Boston by dragging my mother and I to a game at Fenway before all of our boxes were unpacked. He was a lifelong Sox fan and often described the time we spent in New York as the dark years, my birth being the only bright spot. Well, as you can imagine, he and my mom had their hands full trying to entertain a bored, hot, and cranky four year old in the crowded bleacher seats."

"By the seventh inning stretch, my mother was done and insisted we leave. My father refused to consider it. My mother threw a diva fit and left me alone with my father. My father, a stubborn man on a good day, was determined not to let my mother's tantrum ruin his day, but had no idea how to keep me quiet so he could enjoy the game. Then, as luck would have it, a peanut vendor came through our section. My father bought me a bag and showed me how to shell a peanut, eat the nuts, and throw the shell on the ground. I was a little girl and the idea of throwing my trash on the ground excited me. When my mother returned at the top of the ninth inning, I was gleefully seated beside my father quietly shelling peanuts and throwing the shells on the ground."

"That was the start of a new family tradition. My dad and I would attend at least one game a year, always in the bleacher seats, and, when I got antsy, he would buy me peanuts. Eventually I learned to love the game as much as he did, but ballpark peanuts were my first baseball love." Olivia smiled wistfully. "Attending the Red Sox games together was the only family tradition that didn't die with my mom. Even after my father died, I made a point to attend one game each season for years."

"Why did you stop?" he asked.

"I don't know," Olivia said with a shrug. "I guess life got in the way. Jakes hates baseball, he thinks it's boring, so he didn't want to join me and he wasn't thrilled with the idea of me traveling alone. Plus, he didn't understand why I wanted to do something that made me sad. Eventually it became more of a hassle than it was worth."

"Livvie," he said in a hushed voice. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know baseball makes you sad."

"Do I look sad to you?" she asked, smiling brightly. "I love baseball. It one of the many gifts my dad gave me. Do I miss my dad when I'm here? Of course, and sometimes that's painful, but I miss my parents all the time. If I never did anything that made me miss my parents, I wouldn't get out of bed. This ballpark and this city hold both good and painful memories for me. I'm thrilled to be back with you making more memories."

"Hopefully they'll be good memories," he said grinning devilishly.

Olivia shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

"You can do whatever you want with me," he said with a wink, openly flirting with her. Olivia's eyes raked over him as she bit her bottom lip, considering if he could deliver on his promise. Fitz used his thumb to pry her lip from between her teeth. "I warned you about that earlier today. I'll consider it an invitation the next time you do it."

Olivia's face flushed with arousal as her mind considered what type of lover he would be. She pictured them joined together, their hot, sweaty bodies writhing against each other. Would he be selfless, deriving his pleasure by coaxing orgasm after orgasm from her willing body, or would he be selfish, a one and done man, passing out and snoring loudly after he got his? Would he be warm and tender, rough and driven or a combination of the two? Did it matter as long as she was left satisfied? Was he the man that would fuck her the way she'd always fantasized about being taken, but could never work up the courage to express to Jake?

Olivia crossed her legs, squeezing her thighs together to quell the desire building within. "Drink your beer before it gets warm," she deflected. "The game is about to start."

Fitz looked at the field where both teams were leisurely running through their warm-up drills and didn't see any indication that they were ready to play. "How do you know?"

"They are introducing the Yankees' starting lineup."

"How do you know that?"

"We can't see the HD screens, but I can still hear the announcer. The fans are intentionally ignoring him because it's the Yankees."

Just as Olivia predicted, within a few minutes they were on their feet for the national anthem. Fitz took off his baseball cap and sat it on the counter in front of his seat. He leaned down and whispered to Olivia, "Do I have hat head?"

"I don't know why you care," Olivia said, reaching up and running her finger through his hair, fluffing up his curls. "I'm the only person paying attention to you."

"All the more reason to make sure I'm perfect," he whispered in her ear, the feel of his breath on her lobe giving her goosebumps. He placed his right hand over his heart and his left arm around her waist, holding her close as they sang along.

Olivia and Fitz remained standing, cheering loudly, as the Red Sox ran onto the field taking their defensive positions. Fitz laughed when Olivia booed loudly as Brett Gardner took his position in the batter's box. The umpire called "Play" and the game began.

Fitz enjoyed watching Olivia far more than he enjoyed the game. She was so alive when watching the game. Her rapid speech animated with wild hand gestures, she squirmed around in her seat when the Sox hitters fell behind in the count, celebrated wildly when her team scored, and heckled the umpire and the Yankees players. He watched as she paced around in a small circle behind their seats after Aaron Judge hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, causing her team to fall behind two runs. His favorite part was when she and the rest of the stadium stood and loudly sang _Sweet Caroline_ in the eighth inning. Even in her playful state, he could tell she had a beautiful voice.

It was the bottom of the ninth, the Red Sox were down five runs to three, and Olivia was a nervous wreck. She was seated in her chair, her knees drawn to her chest, her fingers splayed across her face partially obstructing her view. Fitz alternated his attention between the field and Olivia, who was living and dying with each pitch. After a Jackie Bradley Jr. single, strikeouts by Sandy Leon and Deven Marrero, and a Mookie Betts double; Dustin Pedroia was at bat. Aroldis Chapman's first pitch was a strike, causing Olivia to groan in agony, sinking lower in her seat. The second pitch had Olivia on her feet as the ball came directly at them, eventually sailing left of the foul pole for strike two. The third pitch was a wildly thrown ball. The fourth pitch had both Olivia and Fitz on their feet as they watched the ball fly in a horizontal arc in front of them as Pedroia homered into the bullpen.

Olivia, Fitz, and their fellow Red Sox nation compatriots cheered wildly, jumping around and high fiving each other. Olivia threw her small body in Fitz's arms, burying her face in his neck as he swung her around in celebratory circles. Fitz was snatched from his high when he felt dampness on his neck and Olivia's body shake in his arms. "Livvie?" he questioned in her ear, trying to separate their bodies so he could see her face. His efforts were thwarted as she held him closely, her body now wracked with sobs. Unsure what to do, Fitz held her tightly, whispering soothing words in her ear until she gradually calmed down.

When she finally released him, he helped her to her seat and gently wiped her tear-stained face. "Livvie, what's wrong?"

"My father would have loved everything about today, these seats, this game, that ending, you," she said, smiling sadly.

Fitz shook his head slowly. "He wouldn't have like me," he replied softly, for the first time feeling guilty about his actions.

Olivia contemplated his statement and weighed her response. "He wouldn't have been proud of how we came to be together this weekend, but he would have liked you. He would have like and respected any man that protected and cared for his baby girl the way you have these past few days."

"Your parents raised a remarkable young woman. Any man in my position would have done the same thing."

Olivia looked away from him, the intensity of his words too much for her to bear. "Not any man," she said softly.

Fitz studied her closely, trying to make sense of her last statement. He wanted to probe further, but he didn't want to risk upsetting her again. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said, slowly recovering from her emotional outburst. "In fact, I am delighted, one of the most thoughtful and generous men I know wore a Sox jersey and hat, drank beer and ate hot dogs, while he slummed it Monster Seats, where we watched Pedroia hit a three run walk-off homer to beat the Yankees. This is a day I'll never forget."

Fitz stood up and leaned over Olivia, kissing her on the crown of her head. "If you're okay, we should leave. We have one more stop to make before we head back to the Merkles'. Do you have any post-game rituals? Where do you want John to meet us?" he asked, pulling out his phone to text the driver.

"My dad and I used to go for ice cream after a win, or a loss, but, considering we've been indulging all day and one of us still has to squeeze herself into an evening gown, I think we should forgo that part of my game day ritual," she said, rising from her seat.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to bring any bad juju on the team because we didn't complete the full ritual."

Olivia laughed heartily. "Did you just use the phrase 'bad juju'?"

Fitz chuckled, "I did. This Red Sox Nation is serious stuff. I don't want to be responsible for damaging their lucky charm."

"Be careful," she warned. "You can't call a superstitious fan the Sox's lucky charm. It's too easy to convince myself that I have to attend all of the Yankees games or risk the Sox losing."

"Well, we don't want to risk the Sox losing. Sounds like we are just going to have to come back for the next game. Have you ever attended a game at Yankees Stadium? We could make a weekend of it, maybe even see _Hamilton_ ," he teased.

Olivia looked at Fitz curiously. He couldn't really be proposing that they spend another weekend together. Unwilling to ruin the moment, she simply said, "We'll see. Tell John to meet us at The Baseball Tavern."

"Lead the way, my lady," Fitz said, wrapping his arm around Olivia's waist as she navigated their way out of the ballpark.

Twenty minutes later, Fitz and Olivia were seated in the back of the Escalade. John turned around to face the couple. "Where to next?"

"83 Waverly Street, please."

"Are you sure, sir?" he asked, his discomfort obvious on his face.

"What's wrong John? I'm not familiar with that address. Where is it?" Olivia asked.

"Roxbury."

Olivia turned to Fitz, "What's at that address? Why do you want us to go there?"

"The next part of your surprise. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Do you know where that is?"

"No, I've never been. Why do you ask? Is that a dangerous area?"

John shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Most of Roxbury is fine, but the other parts are not somewhere you expect to find someone like you," she explained. "Are you sure that's where you want to go?"

"If I'm not putting you in danger, I'm sure. I may not know where I'm going, but I know what's waiting for us there and I know it's a good and safe thing."

"You heard the man," Olivia said. "Let's find out what waiting for us at 83 Waverly Street."

"As you wish, ma'am," John replied, directing the vehicle into traffic.

Fitz put his arm around her and she snuggled into his side trustingly, demonstrating that she had no doubt she was safe in his arms. He sat beside her, absentmindedly tracing circles on her shoulder, thinking how no other woman had ever fit so perfectly into his arms. How could she belong to someone else when she was so obviously made for him?

Fitz watched out the window as the neighborhoods transitioned from the posh and trendy houses of the upper class to the rundown and neglected homes of the working class. He knew he and Olivia were from different backgrounds and he wondered what her childhood neighborhood was like. He smiled as he pictured a young Olivia playing outside, a precious little girl with two ponytails jumping double dutch. How he wished he'd been the little boy that lived next door, the one with the huge crush on her, but couldn't express his feelings so he tormented her instead.

Before long, John pulled up in front of light blue and white twin house with peeling paint and a sagging porch. "We're here," he called out.

Olivia frowned as she studied the house. "Fitz, are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure," Fitz responded eagerly. He took off his baseball cap and repeatedly raked his fingers through his hair. "Am I presentable?"

Olivia eyed him suspiciously, tousling his hair, encouraging his curls to reshape. "Who lives here? Why are you acting so nervous? Who are you trying to impress?" Olivia peppered him with questions.

Ignoring Olivia's questions, he looked at his watch and instructed John, "I'll get Olivia's door. We should be here about an hour. I'll text you when we're ready." Fitz jumped out of the Escalade and escorted Olivia from the car and up the paved path to the front door. Olivia looked at him nervously. "It'll be okay, I promise. Now, ring the doorbell."

Olivia did as instructed and tentatively pressed the button with her index finger. When she heard the bell chime, she stepped in front of him, her body leaning against his for support. His hands slid around her waist and rested low on her hips. When Fitz heard approaching footsteps, he subtly stepped away from her, creating a respectable amount of space between them. Moments later, a middle-aged, heavyset black woman opened the front door. Olivia took one look at the woman and flung herself into her open arms, crying out, "Winnie," as they embraced.

He gave the two women a few minutes to greet each other before drawing their attention to him. When Olivia turned to look at him, he was surprised to find tears glistening in her eyes. His eyes locked on to hers and silently asking if everything was okay. Olivia blinked, causing a tear to fall, and nodded. Without thinking, Fitz reached out and wiped away her tear with the pad of his thumb. Olivia squeezed his hand tightly, reassuring him that everything was fine. Slightly self-conscious about Winnie witnessing her intimate exchange with Fitz, she suddenly turned to her and said, "Winnie, I'd like you to meet my friend -".

"Fitzgerald Grant," the woman interrupted, with a huge smile. "We've spoken on the phone, but it's good to put a face to the voice. Please, come in," she said in a think Boston accent, welcoming them into a modest-sized living room. The room decor was sparse - a sofa, side chair, coffee table, television, and a single floor lamp -, but the contents were neat, tidy, and obviously cared for. Olivia and Winnie were seated on the sofa, while Fitz opted for the side chair. "Can I get you something to drink? I would have cooked, but Fitzgerald -".

"Fitz, please, no one calls me Fitzgerald unless I'm in trouble," he interrupted, flashing her his trademark lopsided grin. He couldn't explain it, but he felt compelled to ensure Winnie approved of him, even if she didn't approve of their relationship if, and when, the details were revealed.

"As I was saying, I would have cooked but Fitz," she said, placing extra emphasis on his name, "explained that you are only in town for the day and have to be back in New York for a work function by seven o'clock. What time is your train?"

Fitz went to speak, but, before he could do so, Olivia cut him off, stating, "We need to be on the road in an hour. Now, tell me everything. This is not the address where I sent last year's Christmas card. How long have you lived here?"

"We moved in about six months ago. It is a fixer-upper, but it's ours and that's what matters most."

"Congratulations, Winnie," Olivia said, hugging the woman tightly. "I'm so happy for you. I know owning a home has been a dream of yours for a long time. I'll have to send you a housewarming gift when we return to Miami."

"You being here today is all the warming this old house needs."

"How are Chris, Keisha, and Kevin? How old are they now?"

"Chris is twenty-five. He and his girlfriend have a two year old son, Winston."

"Winnie, you're a grandmother?" Olivia asked excitedly. "Where are the photos?"

"I am," she said, smiling brightly, handing Olivia her phone so she could flip through the photos of her grandson. "I always thought you and Jake would be the first to make me a grandma," she said, her eyes darting between Fitz and Olivia, "but, I'm grateful they live nearby and I get to see him often."

"Jake and I talked about having kids, but the timing has never been right." Fitz's head snapped in Olivia's direction, anger flashing in his eyes at the thought of her stomach swollen with Jake's child. Olivia connected briefly with Fitz, the dark emotion in his glare causing her to shiver. She quickly looked away and continued, "After I graduated, we were so busy, giving one hundred and twenty percent to ensure the company succeeded. Then, when we weren't able to save it, we both needed to focus on our individual careers."

"You finally took the Bar?" Winnie asked with glee.

A stunned Fitz looked at Olivia and asked, "You went to law school?"

Olivia released an exasperated sighed. "Yes, I graduated from University of Miami with a JD/MBA and, no, I haven't taken the Bar."

"She graduated at the top of her class," Winnie bragged proudly.

"Why didn't I know this?" Fitz asked.

"It's not something I talk about. I chose a different path. The degree is irrelevant to my position with the company." Turning to Winnie, she said, "Enough about me. How are Keisha and Kevin?"

"Keisha is twenty-two and an office assistant downtown. Kevin is twenty and a rising junior at Boston College. He's an eagle just like you."

Olivia's face lit up. "He always was my favorite."

Winnie looked at her watch. "He should be home soon. He went to the game with friends." She looked at the pair, noting they were both wearing jerseys. "How was the game?"

"Did you watch it? Pedroia hit a three-run walk-off homer. The most exciting game I have seen live and we had the best seats." Looking at Fitz, she continued, "Without question, the best surprise ever!"

Fitz's face flushed with pride. All he wanted was to show Olivia that she was special, different from the other women that drifted in and out of his life. He wanted to plan a day she'd never forget and from her reaction, it was clear the he had succeeded. He quickly looked away from her when he felt Winnie's stare boring a hole in his head. Trying to avoid connecting with Olivia or Winnie, he glanced around the room, his eyes landing on a specific family photo in a collection of photos that adorned the walls. He stood up and walked toward the photo. "Is that Olivia?"

"It is," Winnie said. "That picture was taken Thanksgiving of her junior year in high school. That's when Olivia joined our family." Fitz studied the photograph curiously. It was apparent that she was just a teenager, still developing and maturing, but the hallmarks of her future beauty - the large brown doe eyes, pouty full lips, and high cheekbones - were already evident.

"How old are you in this picture?"

"Sixteen," Olivia replied.

"Two years before we met…."

"I told you was a late bloomer."

"I tried to tell her if she gained ten pounds she would like where they went, but this one was always so stubborn. She was like a little bird, always flitting about, never felt secure enough to be still," Winnie explained.

"I'm still now," Olivia said shyly.

"Are you?" the older woman asked with a raised eyebrow. Fitz knew that comment was about her relationship with him and, judging by the way she was squirming in her seat, Olivia understood as well. Winnie was asking if she'd grown restless in her marriage.

Winnie studied the pair carefully. When she spoke with Fitz on the phone, he explained that they were colleagues in New York for a business retreat and that Olivia had spoken fondly of her and their history during their flight from Miami. He went on to say they were coming to Boston for the baseball game and, if time permitted, he wanted to surprise Olivia by stopping by for a quick visit. Initially, she found the request a bit odd, but was excited to see Olivia regardless of the circumstances. Now that they were here, the pair had raised more questions than they had answered. Wanting to talk to Olivia privately, she asked her to join her in the kitchen to help bring the drinks out.

When they were alone, she said, "Fitz seems like a nice guy. I was surprised when he called instead of Jake. How is your husband?"

"Jake is fine. He's home in Miami enjoying a weekend with the boys, I'm sure. Fitz is a nice guy and an excellent boss."

"Fitz is your boss?" Winnie asked in a confused voice.

"Yes. What did he tell you? How did he find you?"

"I don't know. All I know is I received a telephone call around nine o'clock this morning from a woman. She didn't identify herself, but said she was calling from Fitzgerald Grant's office. She asked if my name was Gwendolyn Nelson and if I worked at Cushing Academy in the late nineties and early aughts. When I confirmed I was the person she was looking for, she thanked me for my time and told me to expect a call from Fitz."

"She didn't mention me by name?"

"No. She didn't mention you at all. I didn't know the call had anything to do with you until I spoke with Fitz."

"When was that?"

"Maybe fifteen or twenty minutes later. Liv, what is all of this about? What exactly is your relationship with Fitz and why aren't you wearing your wedding band?

"I told you, he's my boss. I did him a favor by attending this work thing at the last minute. He's just trying the repay the favor by doing something nice for me. I told him I hadn't been home in years, so he made arrangements for us to spend the day in Boston."

"And the ring?"

"Jake upgraded my bridal set," she lied. "I wasn't expecting to be away this weekend, so the full set wasn't ready. It felt wrong traveling in the company of another man with a bare finger. Thus," she said, wiggling her ring finger, "an incomplete set."

"Why do I feel like there's something you're not telling me?"

"There's nothing to tell."

Winnie stared at Olivia, trying to read her face and body language. She knew Olivia was hiding something, but she couldn't determine what. "You're sure everything is okay at home? You can tell me anything. I love you. I would never judge you. If you're struggling with something, we can talk about it. Fitz is a very attractive and charming man. I'm not blind. I've seen the way he looks at you, the way he favors you. It's not a big leap to assume you are attracted to him too. Have you acted on that attraction?"

"Of course not," Olivia exclaimed incredulously. "I'm committed to Jake. I'm not struggling with my feelings for Fitz. Our relationship is strictly platonic." Even as the words were coming out of Olivia's mouth, she knew she was lying. There was nothing platonic about the way she felt waking up in Fitz's arms this morning. Nothing platonic about how her body responded to him. Nothing platonic about the things she fantasized about doing to him and allowing him to do to her. "You worry too much. Fitz is not a threat to my marriage. Speaking of him, we should get back out there."

"You're right, we're being rude. Will you get the iced tea out of the refrigerator while I get the glasses?" she asked, turning to step away from Olivia.

"Yes, and Winnie…"

"Yes?" she inquired, turning back to face her.

"Thanks for looking out for me," she said, pulling the older woman into a warm embrace. "I've really missed you."

When the returned to the living room, they found Fitz standing on the stairs, looking at the wall. "Fitz," Olivia hissed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," he said, red with embarrassment. "It's an occupational hazard. I was looking at that," he said pointing to a forty-five degree crack in the corner of the wall.

"Does that mean what I think it does?" Olivia asked.

"I'm worried it does."

"Come down from there," Winnie instructed. "It's an old house. There are cracks, pops, and creaks everywhere. We're tackling the larger things first, but it will be a while before we get to the cosmetic stuff."

Fitz walked down the stairs looking at Olivia, silently expressing his concern about the crack and asking if it would be appropriate for him to offer assistance.

Before they could settle on an answer, a young black man in a Red Sox jersey and baseball cap boisterously entered the room through the front door distracted them both.

"You're still here," he exclaimed, walking right up to Olivia, grabbing her in a tight embrace, and swinging her around in a wide circle.

"Put me down before you hurt yourself," Olivia said, giggling as she tried to escape Kevin's embrace.

"Please," he dismissed her warnings as he placed her feet on the ground. "You're light as a feather, always have been."

Olivia reached up and took the young man's face between her two hands, "Look at you, all grown up," she gushed, as she took in the handsome young man standing before her.

"It's been eight years, of course I'm grown. Couldn't stay that pesky little brother you wished you never had following you around forever."

"I understand from your mother that you're still following me. Why didn't you reach out to me when you were accepted to BC?"

"I don't know," he said sheepishly. "I just assumed you were busy with your life in Miami. I didn't want to bother you."

Pinching his cheeks, she replied, "I'm never too busy for you."

Escaping the torture of Olivia's pinching fingers, Kevin pulled away from her and, for the first time, noticed Fitz standing in the corner. He walked up to him and extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Kevin. You must be Jake. It's nice to finally meet you."

Fitz shook the young man's hand. "Actually, I'm Fitz. Olivia's colleague and travel companion this weekend."

"Oh man, I'm so sorry I just assumed…," Kevin offered, embarrassed by the faux pas.

"Think nothing of it," Fitz said, moving to sit in the side chair. The others followed him and sat in a line on the couch with Olivia in the middle. "How did you like the end of that game?" That was all the prompting Kevin needed. He and Olivia engaged in a lively and passionate discussion about the highlights and lowlights of the game while Fitz and Winnie listened, entertained by their enthusiasm.

"Have you been on Twitter today?" Kevin asked Olivia.

"No, I've been away from my phone most of the day. What did I miss?"

"Some tourist was on there, IG, and Facebook looking for M1 or M2 seats late last night and early this morning. It was one of those 'I will pay any asking price' offers. Rumor is he paid six figures for two tickets. Can you imagine paying that much to see a game? Must be nice to have his life!"

Olivia's eyes shot to Fitz, who simply raised his arms and shrugged. "At least he got his money's worth," he offered with a Cheshire grin.

Oblivious to Fitz and Olivia's exchange, Kevin continued, "I wish I had those tickets. That money would have been the solution to my problem."

"What problem?" Olivia asked.

"Kev…," Winnie said in a warning tone. "Not in front of our guests."

Olivia didn't attempt to disguise the look of hurt on her face. "Guests? I thought I was family."

"Livvie," Fitz called quietly, trying to soothe her with his voice. "I'm going to wait outside and give the three of you some privacy."

Winnie quietly observed the interaction between Fitz and Olivia. She recalled the first, and only, time she called Olivia 'Livvie'. Her heart broke as the tearful teenager explained that Livvie, the carefree, light-hearted, innocent young girl, died with her parents and that she was only to be called Olivia or Liv going forward. She hadn't spent a lot of time with Olivia and Jake, but she couldn't recall him ever using the nickname. Yet, Fitz had just clearly used the endearing name and tender tone like a verbal hug. Instead of recoiling from him as she had with her, it appeared that Olivia welcomed and was comforted by his actions. The vibe between them crossed the line of two people who happened to work together, but she didn't detect any hint of guilt from Olivia and would expect that to be the case if she was having an affair with Fitz.

"No one's going anywhere because this conversation is over," Winnie announced. "Olivia and Fitz came for a quick visit, not to be burdened by our problems."

Ignoring Winnie, Olivia looked as Kevin and asked, "How does a twenty year old college student have a six figure problem? What kind of trouble are you in?"

"Why do you assume I'm in trouble?" Kevin asked, his disappointment in Olivia's response evident.

"Kev…I didn't mean it that way. I didn't assume you were at fault, but that's a lot of money for you to come up with. I'm just trying to understand why you need it so I can help brainstorm solutions," Olivia explained.

"Kevin, Liv, please. Now is not the time for this conversation," Winnie stated forcefully. Fitz looked at Olivia to gauge if she wanted him to leave. She replied with a quick, yet subtle, shake of her head.

Olivia turned her attention to Kevin, squeezing his hand as an invitation to continue. "I lost my scholarship to BC, it's too late to apply for federal financial aid, and we have six days to come up with the fall tuition payment."

"What happened? How did you lose your scholarship?" Olivia asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"It was from a small non-profit organization that provided scholarships for first generation college students. I received a letter two weeks ago notifying me of the organization's dissolution and informing me they would be unable to honor their commitment."

"Kevin, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how stressful this must be for you," Olivia empathized. "Have you tried a bank?"

"A bank? What bank is going to give a broke college student a loan for that kind of money? I'm just going to sit out a semester and get a job. I can apply to transfer to UMass Boston in the spring," he said dejectedly.

"Giving up can't be the answer. I understand not wanting to take on debt, but I think a loan is the best option."

"A bank is not going to give me a loan."

"They will if I cosign for you."

"Olivia, no," Winnie interjected. "We can't possibly ask you to do that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. We're family, remember. Fitz and I will be finished in New York Monday afternoon. I'll catch the train down. Kevin and I will go to bank and complete the paperwork. You should have a check in hand in time to meet the deadline."

Kevin looked between Olivia and his mother, wanting to accept Olivia's offer, but not wanting to upset his mother. "I don't know what to say."

Fitz tentatively inserted himself into the conversation. "If I may…."

"Fitz, no," Olivia cut him off.

"Hear me out. I think there's another option that won't leave Kevin with six figure student loans in two years."

"Fitz," Olivia growled in warning.

Undeterred by her warning, Fitz proceeded. "I happen to know there were no applicants for our company's annual scholarship for employees and their families this year. I'm sure if Olivia submits an application it will be approved."

"But we're not really family," Kevin rebutted. "I don't want to get Olivia in trouble at work."

Fitz chuckled. "They're not going to ask for a DNA test."

"Fitz, I don't know," Olivia countered. "He has to submit payment by Friday. I think we should go for the sure thing." Olivia understood Fitz was offering to pay Kevin's tuition, but she wasn't entirely comfortable accepting more money from him.

"Trust me, Liv, this scholarship is a sure thing. All you have to do is complete the application and the company will send Boston College a check. Plus, in addition to covering the usual expenses, the scholarship includes five thousand dollars a semester for living expenses."

"Five thousand dollars? A semester?" Kevin asked in an awe-laced voice.

"Hold on. How can you know it's a sure thing? Where do the two of you work?" Winnie asked.

"We work for Grant Enterprises, a design-build firm in Miami," Olivia offered.

"Grant Enterprises? As in Fitzgerald Grant?" she asked.

"Yes, Fitzgerald Grant, I, my grandfather, founded the company. My father, Fitzgerald Grant, II, currently runs the company. I just work there."

Winnie eyed him suspiciously, finally understanding why he was so confident about the scholarship and why Olivia was hesitant to accept his solution. "I'm not sure about either of these plans. We don't want to involve two of you in this. Kevin and I will figure something out."

Puzzled by Fitz underselling his role in his family's company, Olivia looked at the disappointment on Kevin's face and the anxiety and stress etched in Winnie's face. Winnie had done so much for her with so little. Fitz was offering them a solution that wouldn't take Kevin the next ten years to pay off. The only thing standing in the way was Olivia. Was Fitz just trying to help, help Winnie and Kevin desperately needed, or was there quid pro quo attached? Was she exchanging Kevin's debt for one of her own?

Olivia looked at Fitz through squinted eyes, trying to gauge his sincerity. He simply sat there smiling patiently at her as she sized him up. He knew she was debating if accepting his money would be worth the payment he would extract from her later, but her thinking was wrong. There would be no price to pay, no strings attached. Hadn't she learned by now there was nothing he wouldn't do for her? The scholarship was a small price to pay for her happiness. Seeking to address her doubts, he cheekily offered, "It is a benefit of your employment. You can check the company HR manual if you don't believe me."

Olivia chuckled at Fitz's cleverness. She was positive if she checked the HR manual she would not find a single mention of a scholarship fund. The obvious lie was Fitz's way of telling her she could trust him that this time would be different, that when the funds were exchanged he would be able to look her in the eye instead of slinking away like a coward. He promised he would never hurt her again and he was honoring that promise.

Olivia shifted so she was facing Winnie. "I think we should trust Fitz," she said softly, placing her hand on the older woman's knee. Over the years, Winnie had taken great pride in her ability to provide for her family. It would take some convincing for her to agree to take Fitz's money. "If he says the scholarship is a sure thing, I think that's the best option for Kevin. He believed he would graduate from college debt free. I've worked at Grant Enterprises for six years. It's a good company run by good people. There is no risk for Kevin."

"How can you be so sure? They don't know Kevin, they don't owe him anything."

Compelled to speak, Fitz interjected, "Maybe not, but Olivia is a valued employee. I will ensure Kevin receives the full scholarship even if Olivia leaves the company."

"I thought you just worked there?" Winnie asked wittily.

"Touché, but I'm still my father's son. I will make sure he takes care of your son."

Winnie turned to Olivia, "If you think this is best for Kevin."

"I do."

"Then, I guess it's settled." Turning to Fitz, she added, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I have one more request of you."

"You do?" Olivia and Winnie asked in unison.

"Yes, with your permission, I'd like to send one of the company's contractors and a few of his men to look at your house. That's a nasty crack up there and it could signal problems with the foundation. I apologize for being so forward, but I want to help you protect your investment."

Olivia looked at Fitz curiously. This wasn't the preening, womanizing, devil may care Fitz she was used to from the office. What was he hoping to accomplish with this act humility and generosity? Something was different, changed, and she was having difficulty discerning what about this version of him was real and what was pretend.

"Do you think it's that serious?" Olivia asked.

"I do, but the contractor will tell us definitively. Winnie?"

Winnie looked at Olivia. "What do you think?"

"If Fitz is worried, we should let him help. I know his contractors. I trust them." Olivia took Winnie's hands in her own, "It's been so good to see you, but Fitz and I must go if we are going to get back in New York on time." Fitz took that as his signal to text John and ask him to bring the car.

Winnie pulled Olivia into a long, tight embrace. "Let's not let it be so long between visits next time."

Olivia smiled up at her. "I'll come back soon to visit for a couple of days. I promise. I want to see Chris, Keisha, and meet your grandson. And you," she said turning to Kevin, pulling him into a hug, "if you need anything, call me. Don't let your graduation invitation be the next time I hear from you."

"Maybe the Sox will make the post season. We can go to a game."

"I'd like that," she said smiling brightly.

Olivia nodded to Fitz and rose from the couch. Fitz left his seat quickly, walking over to Kevin. He extended his hand, "It was a pleasure to meet you."

The younger man pulled him into a bro hug. "Thank you for everything."

"You should thank Olivia," he said, clapping him on the back. "She's the one that will be helping you. I just showed her the way."

"Either way, I'm grateful to both of you."

Fitz walked over to Winnie and helped her off the couch. "Thank you for helping me surprise Olivia on such short notice."

"Thank you for bringing her home," she replied, hugging Fitz briefly before showing them both to the door.

They were standing on the porch exchanging their final hugs, when Winnie asked, "Fitz, can I talk to you alone for a moment?"

Fitz's eyes immediately darted to Olivia, asking if she was comfortable with the request. Olivia simply shrugged and walked toward the car. After seeing that Olivia was safely in the vehicle, he silently turned to Winnie and waited for her to speak.

Reaching up to cradle his face in her hands, she started, "Fitzgerald Grant, I will forever be grateful for what you have done for me and my son. They say God answers when you least expect it. Well, I certainly wasn't expecting the answer to my prayers to come walking in the door with you. There aren't word to describe the magnitude of what you've done for us today and I am humbled by your generosity."

"It is my honor and privilege to be in a position to be able to repay you for the kindness you showed Olivia all those years ago. As I'm sure you can tell, she is very special to me. It crushes me to think of the young woman in that photograph all alone in this world. You were there for her when no one else cared enough to be. I shudder at the thought of what may have happened to her without the love and support you and your family extended to her."

Winnie dropped her hands from his face, her expression turning grim. "Why did you bring her here today? I could tell by the look on her face when I opened the door she wasn't expecting to see me."

"As I explained on the phone, I wanted to surprise her with a trip to Boston."

"Yes, but there's so much to do in the city, why bring her here?"

Fitz shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, uncertain how much of himself to reveal to this virtual stranger. "I didn't just want to take her to Boston. I wanted to take her home. I wanted to be with her in her environment, somewhere where she would be comfortable enough to let herself be seen. She's so guarded at work. I wanted to see who she really is and not just who she has decided she should be."

"You seem like a decent guy and I certainly don't mean to offend or upset you after everything you've done today. But, I love that girl like she was one of my own, which is why I hope you'll understand why I have to say this. I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but I'm asking you to end it now, before she gets hurt. That poor child has suffered more than her fair share of heartbreak in her young life. She doesn't deserve any more. I'm begging you to leave her alone and let her be happy with the life she has."

Fitz looked at the woman with soft eyes that relayed his sincerity. "Are you sure she's happy?"

Winnie stared at him, her mouth slightly ajar. "Do you have reason, other than your own self-interest, to believe she's not?"

Fitz considered the question. Had Olivia given him any reason to believe she was unhappy with her life with Jake? If Mellie hadn't called off their engagement, would he have been content to maintain a professional relationship with Olivia? Spending these past few days with her had changed him, but did he know that they had also changed her? Was he projecting his feelings on to her? "I think I can make her happier."

"I have no doubt you could make her life easier, more comfortable, but do you really think you can make her happier? If not, you should let her be."

Needing to escape the intensity of the moment, Fitz looked at his watch. "I really should join Liv. We have to get back to New York. We have a business function to attend this evening and it would be rude for us to show up late."

Winnie nodded her head. "I understand, but please consider what I said."

"I will," he said solemnly. "I will be in touch with you next week to make arrangements for the contractor and his crew."

"Please don't feel obligated. I would certainly understand if you reconsidered your offer."

Fitz waved her off. "Nonsense. You love Liv. You're trying to protect her. Believe it or not, we both want the same thing for her, we just go about it in different ways."

Winnie extended her hand to him, which he took, "It was a pleasure meeting you Fitz. I hope our paths will cross again in the future."

"Goodbye, Winnie."

Fitz bounded down the path to join Olivia in the Escalade. As soon as he was seated and had given John instructions, she slid across the bench seat and snuggled against him, her small body burrowing in his side. Fitz lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, pulling her even closer to him. He leaned down and kissed her on the top of her head, lingering a bit to allow her presence to surround and comfort him.

After five minutes of comfortable silence, she quietly asked, "What did she say to you?"

"She just wanted to thank me for the scholarship and offering to send the contractor."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What else did she say?" she asked, moving away from him so she could see his face.

Fitz looked away from her while he weighed how best to respond. "I have a feeling you already know. I'm sure the two of you had a similar conversation in the kitchen."

"Are you going to listen to her?"

"Do you want me to?" he asked, his voice laced with emotion.

"Are you sorry we visited?" she whispered.

"Not at all," he said, his fingers tracing the contours of her face. "It was an honor to meet your family. She loves you and just wants what's best for you. I want the same." She looked at him through squinted eyes, debating her next move. "What?" Olivia remained silent. "Whatever it is, just say it. Say it and we'll deal with it together."

"Do we have time to make another stop? There's something I want to show you."

"We have as long as you need," he said, moving toward her and kissing her softly. Fitz expected her to flinch, to pull away, but she didn't. Instead, she surprised him by allowing herself to be kissed. "John, we have a change of plans, please take us to," he paused, looking at Olivia.

"350 Vermont Street," she finished, leaning against Fitz, allowing her body to meld into his. "Can we drive through Boston College's campus, instead of around it?" she requested, settling in Fitz's arms and looking out the window.

The couple shared a comfortable silence for most of the trip, the only interruptions brief exchanges initiated by Olivia to point out something of interest from her childhood. Less than thirty minutes lasted, John stopped the vehicle in front of a handsome two story white house with black shutters. There were two cars parked in the driveway and sign of activity beyond the open windows.

When it became clear that Olivia was not planning to get out of the vehicle, Fitz asked John to step out and give them some privacy. When they were alone, he asked, "Are we where I think we are?"

"I'm not in your head so it's impossible for me to be sure," Olivia replied.

 _If only you knew how wrong you were_ thought Fitz. She had spent the past few days burrowing her way into the deepest recesses of his mind. Olivia and her wants, needs, and desires dominated his thoughts, leaving room for little else. "Is this your childhood home?"

After a moment of silence, Olivia, in voice barely audible, said, "I've never brought anyone here, not even my husband."

Fitz searched her face for an explanation, but her emotions were so mixed they were impossible to read. "Do you want to go inside? I'm sure the new owners will let us in if we explain why we're here."

"I am the owner," she said flatly, "I couldn't sell it, but I also can't go in." Fitz pulled her close and secured her in his arms, willing her to be still in this moment with him. "This is the closest I've been in more than a decade."

"Why are we here?" he whispered softly.

"Isn't this what you wanted? Why you brought me to Boston?"

Fitz's face twisted in confusion. "I don't understand."

"Aren't we here because you wanted to meet Olivia Pope, the woman I was before I was his wife and your employee? I grew up here, in this house, and this is the last place I was ever really, truly felt happy, loved, and secure."

"Is that who I've spent the day with, the real Olivia Pope?"

"Mostly."

"I like her."

Olivia smiled brightly at him, his words causing heat to rush to her face. "I like her too," she said softly, a hint of sadness in her voice.

He wondered why she really brought him here. What was it she wanted him see? Did she want him to question if they could have the kind of love that used to live in that house? Was she challenging him to reveal himself the way he had laid her bare? "Which one was you bedroom?" he asked, looking at the two-second floor windows.

Olivia erupted into a fit of laughter. "You are incorrigible. Do you think about anything else?"

"It's hard when you are practically sitting in my lap," he explained, tickling her side for good measure. Truthfully, sex was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. He just wanted to make her laugh. He wanted to show her that happiness didn't have to be a thing of the past.

"Have you seen enough?"

"I've hardly scratched the surface," he replied, turning her head so he could see her face, "but you look exhausted and we have a long night ahead of us. You should rest," he said, shifting his body so she could lean against his chest. He removed his phone from his pocket and called John telling him them were ready to return to Merkles Industries and texted Max to alert him to their pending arrival. When all was settled and they were on their way, he allowed his head to fall back against the headrest and was lulled to sleep himself by the steady rhythm of Olivia's breathing.

A little over an hour later, the helicopter was touching down at the Merkles' Hamptons home. Fitz helped Olivia out of the helicopter and, after they both thanked Max for his service, escorted her to the main house. They were approaching the door when Olivia spoke. "Wait, there's something I want to say before we go back in there and start pretending again."

"You haven't been pretending this whole time? This is so embarrassing. I have," he teased.

"Fitz, be serious," she said, playfully punching him in the arm. She looked at him intently, her growing affection for him clouding her normally shining eyes. "I'm trying to thank you for an amazing day."

"If I knew all it took to get you to look at me like this was a helicopter ride and a baseball game I would have done this years ago."

"Those were incredible, but that's not what I am talking about. I'm thanking you for everything else, for taking me home, for reminding me that I'm still my father's daughter, for reminding me that there's more to family than blood and vows, and for your incredible generosity. When I'm with you I feel so free, like nothing is impossible. I can't remember the last time I felt so happy."

"I made you cry."

"They were refreshing tears."

"It wasn't too much."

She smiled at him adoringly. "It was the perfect amount of much. You are Fitzgerald Grant; there is a certain amount of grandiosity that should be expected."

She extended her hand to him. Happily grasped it and pulled her toward him hard enough that her small body collided into his. Giggling, she looked up at him, enthralled by the emotions at play in his eyes.

"It's not over yet. I have one final surprise for you."

"It's very hard to resist you when you're like this," she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him close. "We don't have time for another surprise. I am supposed to be in formal attire with perfect hair and make-up in less than two hours. Unless your surprise is a fairy godmother, you're going to have to save it for another day."

"You are naturally flawless. You could walk into the ball just like this and would easily be the most beautiful woman in the room," he said running his hand along her spine, moaning softly when she arched her back, pressing her body into his. He lowered his face to hers. "Livvie," he said with a sinful gleam in his eyes.

"Yes," she replied expectantly, her eyes locked on his.

"Kiss me."

"What?" she asked surprised, stepping away from him.

"Kiss me," he said, stepping forward, once again crowding her space, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her forward so her body firmly pressed against his.

"Let's just go," she said, looking away from him, but making no attempt to escape his embrace.

"Look at me," he commanded quietly, waiting for her to respond. When her eyes were once again upon his, he continued in a hushed tone, his warm, sweet breath wafting across her face. "We are alone. No games to play, no one to pretend for, and no husband to consider. It's just you and me. Kiss me, Olivia. You know you want to."

"Kiss me," he repeated, leaning forward and brushing his nose against hers, their faces so close their lips were almost touching. "Kiss me," he pleaded, pulling his face slightly away from hers so that he could focus on her eyes.

Olivia's eyes locked on his, her breathing reduced to shallow pants, her chest heaving, her sensitized skin tingling with desire. All she had to do was lean forward an inch and their lips would meet. She was losing this battle with herself. A battle she wasn't sure why she was fighting. She'd willingly crossed so many lines, exposed so much of herself to Fitz that continuing to resist him physically was a pretense neither one of them believed. It didn't matter if she kissed him or not, the romance developing between them was real and neither one of them could deny it.

Sensing that she was once again going to flee, he loosened his grip around waist and leaned forward, his face so close to hers she could taste his breath, and whispered, "Show me what you really want."

Her lips were upon his in an instant, swallowing his words as soon as they escaped his lips. There was nothing soft or tentative about her touch as she kissed him eagerly, wantonly, releasing all of the passion and longing of the past few days. She held the back of his head, pulling him closer as her lips devoured his. When his tongue traced her lips, she yielded to him, opened her mouth and welcoming his tongue inside. He placed his hands on either side of her face and kissed her with a hungry violence, moaning loudly when her body arched against him, pressing his stirring arousal into the softness of her belly. There was no doubting her desire as she moved against him, allowed him to lead their tongues in a sinuous dance.

Fitz was the first man to ever kiss her like this. Most kisses she'd experienced had been rushed and sloppy, a foreplay necessity in the ramp up to the main event. Kissing him was an incredibly satisfying event all by itself. She could stay here, wrapped in his embrace, kissing him for hours, but she knew they shouldn't. They were here for a reason and if she didn't pull away from him now, she was sure they would miss the ball. Opting instead to spend the night in each other's arms.

Olivia broke their kiss and rested her head in his chest. Panting, she looked up at him, her desire evident in her eyes. "This shouldn't be so easy," she whispered.

Lost in the moment, Fitz replied, "Maybe this is where you are supposed to be, the life you should have. How many times do we have to be pushed together for you to consider that maybe we chose the wrong paths?"

Olivia pushed away from him. "I don't believe in soulmates."

"Maybe that's because you married Carl instead of Sam," he said, referencing her favorite movie. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. "Don't you believe you deserve better?"

"Is that what this is? Better? Because it's starting to feel like betrayal," she said, snatching away from him and stomping off in the direction of the house.

"Liv, wait," he called chasing after her. He caught up to her just as she entered the house.

"Welcome back Mr. Grant and Ms. Pope," Esmeralda greeted them as they walked into the house, oblivious to the tension between them. "Your guests are waiting for you in the cottage living room."

"Thank you, Esmeralda. Sorry we are a little late. I hope they haven't caused you any trouble."

"No, sir," Esmeralda blushed from the attention. "They only arrived ten minutes ago."

"Very well. We'll go see to them now," Fitz said, leading Olivia away from Esmeralda in the direction of the cottage.

When they were alone Olivia suddenly stopped walking, causing Fitz to jerk to a halt a few steps in front of her. He turned to look at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Liv, what's wrong?"

"A guest? Fitz, I told you I wasn't ready to talk to him. Why did you bring him here? Why would you kiss me like that if you knew he was upstairs waiting for me? What kind of game are you playing?" she hissed.

"Him? What are you talking about?" he asked, slowly realizing who she thought was waiting for them. "You think Jake is my final surprise?" he asked, with a deep and loud laugh. He stopped laughing and pulled her toward him, resting his hands on her waist. "You think my perfect ending for this day is to hand you over to him? Why would I ever voluntarily do that?"

"I just thought…" her voice trailed off.

"Are you worried about seeing Seth tonight?"

"What?" she asked, caught unprepared by his questions and stalling to consider her response. She honestly hadn't thought about Seth for most of the day because Fitz had done such an excellent job of distracting her from the ugliness that occurred in this house. Now that he brought him up, she had to admit she was anxious about being near him again and didn't know how she would respond to seeing him. Moving closer to him, she asked, "Will you be with me the entire time?"

"I won't let you out of my sight. I promise he won't get anywhere near you."

"Then, I'm not worried. I know I'm safe with you," she said, her body relaxing in his loose embrace. Her anger from earlier beginning to fade. Changing the topic, she asked, "If not Jake, who is waiting upstairs for us?"

"Have you learned nothing from our day together? I believe surprises should be delivered without warning or introduction. Esmeralda already told you too much when she announced that we have guests waiting. Now, do you want to stay down here talking or should we head upstairs so you can see who is waiting for you?"

Olivia raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him. "I'm sorry for flipping out."

"I understand. It's been an emotional twenty-four hours. You're confused. I shouldn't have pushed you. I was just trying to…," his voice trailed off as he struggled to find the right words. He opted for, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Now, let's go greet our guests," he said, eagerly pulling her in the direction of the cottage stairs. Olivia giggled as she trailed behind him, eager to learn what the rest of the evening held for them.

 **A/N: Well…what did you think? Things are moving fast (I know not fast enough for some of you – but it's only been four days!) between Fitz and Olivia. They are falling deeper and deeper into this space that Fitz has carved out for them, but how long can they stay there? As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments – let me know what you liked and disliked. Until next time…ciao.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Thanks for your comments and encouragement. I'm surprised to learn that this story is attracting new readers and thrilled that your response on Twitter and other platforms is bringing new, fellow Olitzers to the story. I can't expressed how humbled I am by all of you. I hope you enjoy!**

Now, let's go greet our guests," he said, eagerly pulling her in the direction of the cottage stairs. Olivia slipped around Fitz and hurried past him, excited to find out who was waiting upstairs for her. Fitz shook his head and bounded up the stairs behind her, laughing at her actions. He wondered if she was always this playful or if their day together brought out her slighter side.

He caught up with her just as she crested the stairs, the commotion from their race up the stairs causing the three guests to direct their attention to the pair. Olivia frowned in confusion when she recognized one of the guests. "Stacey, what are you doing here?" she asked as she and Fitz made their way into the sitting area.

Stacey took one look at the two of them and indignantly replied, "What the hell are you wearing? Why are the two of you dressed like twins?"

Stacey was puzzled by Fitz's appearance. He had always resisted her attempts to style him and his dates in complementary ways. Yet, here he was with Olivia, in an outfit virtually identical to his, and he actually seemed happy about it. In fact, as she looked closer, she saw he was practically beaming. What the hell was going on here? Olivia had presented herself as a married woman going on a business retreat with her boss, but, standing in front of her now, they looked every bit a couple. Were they having an affair? If so, why the pretense? Fitz had proven he didn't care what Stacey thought about the current woman on his arm. Moreover, the only reason Stacey knew Olivia was married was because she was wearing a wedding band, a very different ring from the one she was wearing now, when she came to her studio. Whatever was going on, the pair seemed to be in sync and disgustingly happy about it.

Olivia looked at Fitz. "I told you she wouldn't approve of this outfit," she teased.

"Calm down, Stacey, there's a perfectly good explanation for everything," Fitz stated.

"There better be. I have a reputation to uphold. I wouldn't have signed off on the two of you making a public appearance dressed like that."

Fitz laughed at Stacey's over-the-top reaction. "First, I think Olivia looks sexy as hell. All I've wanted to do all day is rip what's left of those jeans off of her." Olivia's eyes immediately darted to his, trying to read if he was once again pretending or if there was any truth to his statement. His darkened blue eyes were intense, burning with desire, clearly communicating his need for her. Olivia quickly looked away, afraid if she held his gaze, he would see the same feelings reflected back in her eyes. "Second, we didn't make a public appearance. We went to a baseball game and to see family." Stacey squinted her eyes at him suspiciously. "We sat in the stands like regular people. No one paid us any attention; much less knew you were our stylist. Your reputation remains intact."

"Were you guys in the helicopter we heard landing a few moments ago?" asked a simpering gorgeous leggy, blonde, with large breasts and sparkling blue eyes. Olivia was able to control her outward expression, but couldn't escape the warmth flooding her body as her blood begin to boil with jealousy. This woman was exactly Fitz's type. Why did he invite these women to the Hamptons? Was five days of celibacy more than he could manage? If so, why was he looking at her with savage desire when his next conquest was sitting there waiting for him? What exactly about this surprise did he believe was supposed to please her?

Stacey caught Olivia glaring menacingly at the blonde-haired woman and immediately scrambled to explain. "Olivia and Fitz, these are my friends, Madison and Renée," she said, gesturing in the direction of the blonde and a cute, pixie-like brunette, respectively. "Madison is a hairstylist and Renée is a makeup artist. We are Olivia's official glam squad for the evening."

Olivia looked over her shoulder at a Fitz. "So much for being naturally flawless," she quipped, still a little chafed by Madison's presence.

Fitz closed the distance between him and Olivia, approaching her from behind. Sensing his presence, she possessively reached behind her and pulled him closer to her. It was only when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him that he noticed the tension in her small frame. "You know I think you are the most beautiful and enchanting woman in the world. They are just here to help you showcase that beauty," he explained, brushing her hair aside and trailing a path of light kisses up her neck to her jawline, headed for her lips.

Olivia relaxed a little, but not fully. "You spoil me," she said, shifting in his arms so he could kiss her properly, wrapping her arms around Fitz's neck and displaying her engagement ring to Stacey and her friends.

"That's the goal," he whispered against her lips.

While Madison and Stacey snickered with a tinge of envy at the couple's open display of affection, Renée had the opposite reaction. "Stacey, why didn't you tell us Fitz was engaged?" she asked, gushing about the couple. "Fitzgerald Grant is quite the catch - rich, handsome, charming. Olivia, you must be the luckiest woman in Miami. How did you manage to snag one of the city's most eligible bachelors? I would have expected everyone to be buzzing about this. How are you keeping this a secret?"

Fitz chuckled at the young woman's enthusiasm. "It's not a secret; we're just not ready to make a big, public announcement. Once you introduce your relationship to the public, the public is free to dissect every aspect of that relationship. I'm have my hands full keeping this woman happy," he said, kissing Olivia on the cheek and lightly tickling her side, making her giggle. "We're not ready to entertain everyone else's opinion about our relationship and upcoming wedding."

"Have you set a date?" Madison asked coolly.

"Not yet," Olivia bristled. "I'm still trying to get used to the idea of being engaged. I never expected agreeing to go to lunch with him would lead to this. Everything is moving so quickly, it feels like it's only been a couple of days."

"A couple of days, a couples of weeks, a couple of months, what difference does it make? When you've found the person you know you're supposed share the rest of your life with why would you waste any time not being with that person." Concerned that, despite his demonstrative fawning over her, Olivia was still uncomfortably stiff in his arms, he lowered his lips to her ear and said, "Stacey yes, the other two no."

"What?" she replied quietly with furrowed brows, confused by his statement.

Continuing to hold Olivia close, he addressed the three woman. "Please go ahead in our room and get set-up. I need to speak with Olivia privately for a moment." Stacey, Madison, and Renée rose from their seats and entered the bedroom, wheeling large cases containing the tools of their trades behind them.

Only when they were out of sight did Fitz release her, motioning for her to join him on the couch. When she was seated, Fitz grasped both of her hands and looked at her intently. "You were wondering if I slept with them. You know Stacey and I have a past, but I've never met the other two. I saw the way you looked at the blonde. You thought she was here for me. I would never disrespect you like that."

"She's a gorgeous blonde Barbie doll. It's been five days. I would understand...," she said softly, her voice trailing off as she struggled to reconcile what she was feeling against what she thought was the appropriate response. This weekend was pretend. It shouldn't matter who Fitz entertained or when, as long as he didn't compromise the business deal they were there to close. Nevertheless, the thought of him with Madison made her crazy. She was the antithesis of Olivia, and being around her brought all of her initial concerns and insecurities back to the surface. Why would Fitz play pretend with her when he could have the real thing with Madison?

"You're exquisite and she's just a tall blonde. Why would I waste a second of the time we have left together with her?"

Olivia shifted in her seat, uncrossing and re-crossing her legs. She hated how easily he read her and spoke to her feelings, even as she was actively trying to deny them. Why did he say these things to her? Didn't he know it only further blurred the lines between them, making things harder for both of them when they returned to Miami? Would he easily shed the role of her fiancé and go back his playboy ways? Would she be able to do the same or had this weekend with Fitz left an irreversible imprint? Needing space from him and her thoughts, she teased, "So you did notice she's kind of perfect for you?"

"I'm not blind," he said with a light chuckle. "I saw her. I'm just not interested. Honestly, she's exactly the type of woman that would have distracted me in the past. Things are different now. Thanks to you, I'm more focused than I've ever been. This weekend I have learned that I can't do this alone. I don't have time for or interest in pretending anymore. I want something real." _Something with you_ , he thought.

Olivia looked at Fitz and saw the fire burning in the depths of his eyes. He was telling the truth and the enormity of that truth overwhelmed her. She moved to pull her hands away from his, but he grasped her tighter, careful not to hurt her, but preventing her from fleeing. "You don't have to run," he said. "I haven't forgotten our reality. All I'm asking is that you let me show you who I am. Let me, with a little help from your glam squad, take care of you tonight."

Olivia took a deep breath and cautiously nodded, squeezing his hand to reassure him that she wasn't running. When he released her hands, she placed them on either side on his face and pulled him towards her. "You are not alone. We're in this together, remember. I may not be able to be everything you want, but at least you're not alone," she said, dropping her hands from his face.

Fitz reflected on Olivia's statement. Was this willingness to settle for less than what she wanted in exchange for not being alone why she married Jake? He knew they met when she was eighteen. By then, she'd already been alone for two years, her only family the one she formed with Winnie and her kids. Did Jake convince her that he would be her new forever family, the one person that would never leave her? Is that how he penetrated her defenses? Fitz worried that he'd underestimated her commitment to her husband. It wasn't based solely on love, but forged by her longing for security and permanence. Leaving him would mean risking once again being alone. Did losing her parents at such a critical period in her development make that risk intolerable? Was there nothing he could do to show her she deserved better and that he could be that better?

Olivia remained still and quietly observed Fitz deep in thought. His brows were furrowed and his lips pursed in concentration. Whatever he was thinking about obviously displeased him. What did she say to trigger this reaction from him? She hoped she hadn't offended him or in any way appeared ungrateful for all that he did for her today. "Fitz," she said softly, pulling him out of his head and back to her. "Talk to me," she implored. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," he lied to avoid answering her question. "It's fine. I'm fine." Olivia looked at him suspiciously. He was being less than forthright and that only added to her anxiety, causing her to fidget uncomfortably. "Stop that," he snapped at her.

Fitz's sudden change in demeanor caused Olivia to withdraw physically from him, her expression reflecting her alarm and frostiness. When he registered Olivia's reaction, his eyes softened immediately and he reached out to her, resting his hand on her denim-clad thigh, relieved when she didn't reject his touch. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just frustrated," he said, angrily raking his free hand through his hair.

"By what?" she asked tentatively.

"By the way you're always twisting yourself in knots trying to figure out and be everything you think others expect you to be. Stop trying to be the dutiful wife, the diligent employee or anyone else someone you thinks you should be. Stop trying to do what other people want or be who they expect you to be and just be you. Whoever that is."

Fitz knew he wasn't being fair unloading on her like that. She showed up for him when he needed her most and had done everything he'd asked of her, pushing through her own discomfort and insecurities to do so. He knew she was walking a difficult line trying to be faithful to her husband and deliver the performance he needed from her to convince the Merkles he was a changed man. If anything, it was his actions and his desires that were twisting her in knots. He was the one that kept pushing her to give more and more of herself, to move past the pretend and into something real. He was the one asking her to be someone other than herself.

Fitz was going to apologize and retract his statement when Olivia finally spoke. "What if I don't know who that is?" she asked softly, privately terrified by his request.

Fitz didn't know how to respond. Was she suggesting that there might have been some truth to his accusation? Seizing the opportunity, with a Cheshire grin, he replied, "Well, we've got about forty hours before we return home for you to figure it out. I'm up for the challenge. Are you?"

Was he crazy? Did he really think in forty hours they could uncover the person she'd been denying for the past twenty years. Avoiding his proposition altogether, she replied, "We should get in there, my glam squad awaits."

"Is that what you want to do?" he asked with a devilish grin.

Wanting to lighten the mood and relieve some of the tension, she playfully responded, "What if I said I wanted to ditch the ball and fly to Paris?"

Fitz pulled her toward him and wrapped her in his arms so she was facing away from him. He nuzzled his face in her neck and then spoke against her ear. "Is that really what you want? Do you have your passport? My father's jet is at the airport. We could be in the air within the hour. We have to drop Stacey and her friends off in the city first, but we could be in Paris by breakfast."

Olivia turned to look at him partially in awe and partially in disbelief. "You have an answer for everything don't you?"

"No, but you haven't asked for anything I can't make happen. You're going to have to think bigger if you're looking for me to disappoint you. So, are we flying to Paris?" he asked seriously.

Grinning like a loon, Olivia responded, "No, we are not flying to Paris. I have a glam squad waiting for me and you have to shower and get in your tux. Let's go," she said rising from the couch and reaching back to pull him up after her. He laughed at her feeble attempts to move him from the couch, eventually relenting and joining her as they headed for the bedroom.

Turning serious, he grabbed her wrist so she would stop moving. After Olivia spun around to face him, he spoke. "One more thing. You never have to worry about whether or not I have a past with a woman I bring into our lives. I wouldn't put you in that situation."

"What situation?" she asked, struggling to keep up the twists and turns in their conversation.

"I would never put you in a room where another woman knows more about me than you do."

"You didn't tell me about Stacey."

"That was before."

"Before what?"

"Before you needed to know."

"And now? What's changed?"

"Everything. I want you to trust me. I don't ever want you to be ambushed by something someone says about me. I want you to hear the truth from my lips first."

"Anything I need to know before we go in there?"

Fitz quickly walked toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close. "I wouldn't have brought them here if there was. Today is all about you. You are my only priority and the only woman I want to be with."

Leaning down, he captured her lips with his own. He was delighted to find all traces of her earlier hesitation were gone as she surrendered to him without reservation. Fitz violated her mouth, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body. Olivia knew she should pull away from him, but her need to feel wanted by him made her powerless to deny him, greedily welcoming and succumbing to him. She tangled her fingers in his thick curls, tugging until he growled her name against her lips in pleasure.

She couldn't remember ever being this affected by a man while fully dressed. Every time he kissed her, touched her, she lost a little more of her will to resist him. He made her feel things she'd given up hope of ever feeling and the promise of him and everything that they could be was simultaneously exhilarating and frightening.

He continued kissing her while his hands traced along her back and down her side in long sweeps, every touch, every movement designed to make her feel desired. She yearned for, needed the contact of his body against hers. She slipped her hands under his jersey and ran them up his bare back, pulling him impossibly closer, enjoying how his muscles rippled and contracted under her touch. He was so strong, so powerful, yet his touch was gentle and restrained.

She arched her back, pressing her torso tight against his, her breasts aching at the contact. His lips dropped to her exposed neck and he quickly found the spot beneath her pulse point that made her purr. Her entire body pulsed with need and she shamelessly ground against his growing erection. He slid his leg between hers, so he could feel the heat from where he most desired to be pressed against his thigh. Desperate to get some friction, some release from the pressure building inside her, she rocked her hips, moaning softly from the combined pressure of the material and his muscular quadriceps against her clitoris.

His hands trailed down her back and traced along her wildly moving hips. One hand remained around her waist, holding her body against his, while the other slowly moved under her jersey, but over her tank, and blazed a path up the front of her torso resting just below her breast. He cupped one of her breasts in his palm, reveling in the feel of its size and weight in his hand. Everything about her was fucking perfect and he wanted nothing more than to spend the evening exposing, memorizing, and worshipping every inch of her. His lips once again found hers, their tongues dueling for dominance, as he raked the tip of his thumb across her stiff nipple, making her knees go weak and her moan into his mouth.

She was jolted back to reality when she felt his fingers move beneath the waistband of her jeans. Olivia pulled back from his kiss, causing his hands to slip from her pants and breast. She rested her head on his chest, smiling and panting to calm her racing heart. When she could speak, she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with need and explained, "We can't. You're focused, remember. The Merkles are expecting us in less than two hours. It would be rude for us to enjoy their incredible hospitality and not attend their party. Plus, there are people in our bedroom," she said giggling. "There's nowhere for us to go."

"Is that what you want?" he asked, his voice dripping with sex.

She smiled at him brightly, "It's what you need and right now your needs trump my wants." Before he could protest, she slipped from his arms and reached for the doorknob. She turned to him, her eyes darting to the impressive bulge in his pants, "Do you need a minute?" she asked.

"It's going to take longer that to calm him down," he said, adjusting his jersey to cover himself as much as possible.

"That's not going to work," she said laughing at him.

"It's all your fault. You and those damn jeans," he growled.

"You think the jeans are bad," she teased, "wait until you see my dress." With that said, she opened the door to their room, dragging him in behind her.

When Fitz and Olivia entered the bedroom, all eyes turned to them. The three women smiled knowingly, noting the couple's flushed skin and bee stung lips, evidence of their amorous activities. Stacey studied them closely. She'd known Fitz for years and had never seen him so much as kiss a women in public. He was a tiger behind a closed door, but in public, he was almost prudish. She always assumed he was intentionally cold and distant to remind the women he was with they were replaceable, disposable even. The closest he got to PDA was brief handholding or a casual arm around the waist or shoulder, just enough to signal possession to anyone watching. In complete contrast to that, he'd been all over Olivia since they arrived, some part of his body in almost constant contact with hers. Yet, his displays of affection didn't appear to be for anyone but Olivia. It felt a little voyeuristic simply being in the same room with them.

Fitz watched as Madison and Renée busily unpacked their kits. Fitz had never seen so much stuff. Between the two of them there were blow-dryers, flat irons, curling irons, scissors, dozens of make-up containers and tubes, a least fifty hair and make-up brushes of every shape and size imaginable, and a dozen hair care products. And, those were just the things he recognized! "Are you going to use all of that on Olivia?" he asked incredulously. "I hope to recognize her when you're finished."

The three women laughed at Fitz's naivety. "You've never seen this process before?" asked Madison.

"Never. This is one of many firsts that I've experienced with Liv. I usually show up at the end to whisk the girl away. I'm still learning to share my space." He turned to Stacey, who was laying a garment bag across the bed. "Is that her dress? Can I get a peek?" Fitz asked, moving toward the bed.

Stacey shooed him away. "No, I hope Olivia's dress and shoes are in the closet. These are for you."

Fitz laughed and headed to the bathroom. "I just need a second and then it's all yours," he said to Olivia.

"I think you'll need more than a second," she teased with a wink.

As Fitz disappeared into the bathroom, he heard Bruno Mars' voice sing out about his Manhattan condo from Madison's Bluetooth speaker. Before closing the door, he looked at Stacey and asked, "Did you bring it?" Stacey reached into a bag and held up a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. "I hope you brought more than one bottle."

Stacey chuckled. "I grabbed four bottles from the plane. Needless to say, the crew wasn't very happy and I don't think they believed me when I said it was for you."

Fitz shook his head. "I'm sorry about that. Some of the crews can be a bit uptight." Shifting his attention, he called out, "Liv, will you buzz Esmeralda and ask her to bring up some glasses and two ice buckets?"

Olivia nodded, moving to the intercom beside the bed to do as he asked, acutely aware that Stacey was scrutinizing every interaction between them. Olivia wanted to take her aside and explain. But, what would she say? That none of what she observed between the couple was real? That it was all an elaborate charade to convince a potential business partner of Fitz's growth and maturity? Was that even believable anymore? Did Fitz believe it? Did she?

Sighing deeply, Olivia decided to drop it and turn her attention to the other two women. "Well, it appears that I'm your blank canvas for the evening. Where do you want to start?"

Madison approached Olivia and ran her fingers through her hair, shaking it out to test its fullness, check its length, and evaluate the cut. "Whoever styled your hair was good, not as good as I am, but she was very good. Any thoughts about how you want to wear it tonight?"

"I just got it cut and colored on Tuesday and Fitz hasn't seen it straight, so I thought I'd change things up a little for him tonight."

Madison grinned broadly, "Sounds like a woman determined to keep her man. Do your thing. I ain't even mad." Olivia laughed at Madison's colloquialism.

Stacey walked over to the pair and injected herself into the conversation. "We can straighten your hair, no problem, but I want it pulled up and away from your face." Speaking to Madison, she explained, "Her dress has a completely open back and one of the most daring plunging necklines I've seen. I want her face and the audacity of the dress to be the focus of her look tonight. I don't want her hair distracting from that look." Bringing Renée into the conversation, she added, "I want the same thing with her make-up. You heard Fitz, he thinks she's beautiful just the way she is and wants to recognize her tonight. I think you should go for a mostly natural look with a bold eye. It'll be a challenge, but let's see if we can draw attention away from her exposed skin to her eyes. We may just prevent Fitz from starting a fight tonight. What do you think?"

Olivia stood there silently as the three women discussed her as if she was a mannequin they were dressing up and placing in a display window. She wondered how many times, if any, her thoughts and opinions would be solicited during this process. After a while of being poked and prodded from every angle, she grew restless. When DJ Khaled's _Wild Thoughts_ began playing on Madison's iPhone, Olivia used that as her excuse to escape. "I love this song," she exclaimed, moving away from the trio and losing herself to the beat.

Fitz entered the room and found Olivia dancing in the middle of the floor, her arms raised above her head, seductively swaying her hips to the beat. He was entranced, unable to tear his eyes away from her as her movements beckoned him like a siren's call. He smiled as he listened to Rihanna singing about out of control, alcohol fueled lust. He wondered if he gave Olivia wild thoughts. All he knew was when he was close to her, he didn't think, couldn't think, all he could do was he feel.

Watching her dance, her body moving in a sexy interpretation of the music, made him crave her touch. He moved in behind her and started grinding against her to the rhythm of the music, easily keeping up with her movements. Olivia was impressed with Fitz's skills, he was indeed a man of many talents and might just live up to his lofty reputation. She closed her eyes, reached up, and wrapped an arm around his neck. She pressed her butt against him, moaning softly when she felt his member begin to swell against the small of her back.

"Damn it, Liv," he growled in her ear, the timber of his voice sending shivers throughout her body. "I just got him calmed down."

"It's not my fault you're so reactive," she purred.

The other three women sat there watching the two of them moving in unison. It was obvious that they were in a world all to themselves. Renée spoke up, wanting to interrupt the moment before it grew uncomfortable. "Damn, Fitz, you dance pretty well for a…," her voice trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence without offending him.

Without looking at her, he chuckled and said, "For an old white man. This isn't dancing. If the guy you're dancing with tonight can't do this, I suggest you leave his ass at the club or risk ending your night frustrated and unsatisfied." The four women burst into laughter at Fitz's cocky response.

"This is dancing," he bragged, grabbing Olivia's hips and spinning her into his arms and beginning to salsa with her. Olivia watched incredulously as he easily moved his feet, hips, and arms to the beat. She knew he went out clubbing most nights, but she assumed he was hanging out in the VIP areas watching others or making out with beautiful women. Never did she picture him on the dance floor. He had far more rhythm than expected and she was pleasantly surprised. She was entranced as he led her boldly and confidently through the steps and spins.

When she proved herself a capable partner, Fitz increased the difficulty of their spins with elaborate and exaggerated movements, throwing in an occasional dip for good measure. Olivia never faltered, matching him step for step. She grinned wickedly when he pulled her toward him, holding her close as their hips moved against each other longer than the beat demanded. When the song ended, Olivia let her body crash gently into his, allowing him to support her weight as she panted in his arms, while the other three women hooted and whistled.

"Not bad Ms. Pope," he said, flashing her a lopsided grin.

"I'm better in heels," she explained. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"I've been dancing since I was a kid, but JC's mom taught me to salsa." Leaning down to her ear and whispering in a sexy baritone so low only she could hear, he added, "And I'm better when I don't have to worry about my feet or arms and can focus solely on my hips and your face."

Olivia released a sharp, audible gasp and her body shivered against his. She pushed away from him laughing to cover her flustered state. "I need to shower. Are you hanging out here?" she asked with just a trace of uncertainty in her voice.

"No, I figured I'd give the four of you some space. I need to make some phone calls. I also need to find Stephen to thank him for the helicopter and make sure he's onboard with the developments in the Patterson Place project. You'll be ok here alone?"

"Yes," she said, marveling at how he never failed to consider her well-being. "I'll be fine."

He dipped his head to hers and tenderly parted her lips with his, teasing her briefly with his tongue before breaking the kiss. "Why is it so hard to say goodbye to you?"

Olivia swatted him playfully on the ass and headed toward the bathroom. "Get out of here so we can get started," she called over her shoulder. Madison grabbed two bottles from her kit and followed Olivia into the bathroom.

Stacey unzipped the garment bag and removed a beautiful white silk kimono robe decorated with images of pink peonies and orange butterflies and handed it Madison. "Give this to Olivia for me. Thanks!"

Fitz looked at Stacey and asked, "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Pink peonies…they are Liv's favorite flower."

Stacey smiled, intrigued that Fitz not only knew Olivia's favorite flower, but the specific color she preferred. "I didn't. I thought it was beautiful and would look great on her. I wanted her to be comfortable while we tortured her for the next two hours."

"Take it easy on her, Stacey, please. She's not one of us. This is all new to her. I want her taken care of and protected. She's still skittish. I've worked hard to get her to trust me. I don't want that undone after spending a couple of hours with the three of you."

"Trust me. I'll take excellent care of her. Have I let you down before?"

"Never," he said, walking toward the door.

"Before you go," Stacey added. "Where's your tux?"

"In a garment bag in the closet. Olivia was hiding her dress so, I thought I'd do the same," he said smiling brightly. "I couldn't decide between the Tom Ford and the Brooks Brothers so I brought them both."

"Excellent choices. I brought a couple of options for underpinnings. Do you want to look at them before you go?"

"I'm good with whatever Liv likes," he said dismissively. "You ladies have fun, but not too much fun. I need Olivia relaxed, but mostly sober when I get back. She's pregaming a black tie gala, not a night clubbing in the city," Fitz warned. "Do you need anything? I can ask Esmeralda to bring you up some food."

"Fitz, go," Stacey instructed. "Hurry up before Olivia comes out of the bathroom. Return in forty-five minutes. We'll be ready for you then."

Stacey and Renée busied themselves preparing for Olivia's emergence from the bathroom. Renée's hands deftly moved through her kit, selecting a moisturizer, cocoa liquid foundation, flesh-toned blush, a dusty almond lipstick, and a neutral gloss. She called Stacey over to her to consult on the eye she requested. "How do you feel about a liquid eyeliner layered with a cosmic black eyeliner and a carbon black mascara? I'll know for sure when she's in my chair, but I'll probably need to add lashes to give her volume. Is this bold enough for you or do you want bolder?"

"It's fine," Stacey said curtly. "With these selections she'll glow, but she won't look too made up. He should be pleased," she dismissed, heading toward the closest in search of Fitz's tuxedo and Olivia's dress.

"You didn't know, did you?" Renée asked tentatively.

"Know what?" Stacey knew exactly what Renée was talking about, but she also knew Olivia couldn't be engaged to Fitz. A fact the pretend couple was obviously working to conceal.

"That Fitz was engaged," Renée responded more confidently. "He didn't tell you when he asked you to come to New York. You found out when you saw that huge rock on her left ring finger."

"It's smaller than I thought it would be. Fitz doesn't usually do small," she said in a snarky voice.

Ignoring Stacey's comment, Renée continued. "He didn't tell you, did he? You thought he was inviting you here for more than styling Olivia. That's why you're being such a bitch to her."

"I'm here for the same reason you are; because Fitz's offer was too good to refuse. I'm here to do what he's paying us to do so we can get back on his jet and fly to the city for twenty-four hours of partying, shopping, and eating, all courtesy of Fitzgerald Grant. I couldn't care less that he's engaged. I'm his stylist and, I guess, now I'm her stylist that is until one of them calls off this engagement." Renée looked at Stacey, her eyes questioning the last statement. "Don't look at me like that. You may not know Fitz, but you must know of him. He's fucked half of the women in Miami. Olivia is not his first fiancée and she probably won't be his last. There is no reason for me to be a bitch to her. She doesn't have anything I want."

Renée chuckled humorlessly. "You can't bullshit a bullshitter. I may not know Fitz, but I do know you and I can tell that you have feelings for him. It's why you were testing them when they arrived? All that crap about their outfits and your reputation, you just wanted to see if he would defend her. Were you surprised when he did or did you suspect Olivia was different?"

"Don't be fooled by the ring. Olivia is just the latest woman on Fitz's arm. I haven't seen anything different about her yet," Stacey lied. Everything about Fitz was different when he was with Olivia. He doted on and deferred to her in a way she'd never seen him do before. Fitz was never shy about throwing his money around, but, in her two interactions with Olivia this week, it appeared that he was using his money to take care of her rather than impress her. Oddly enough, he actually appeared to be trying to protect her from his lifestyle. However, none of that changed the fact that Olivia was married. She was unavailable and that was a problem Fitz couldn't buy or bully his way out of.

Renée smiled at her friend deep in thought. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Stacey rolled her eyes and entered the small walk-in closet where she was immediately confronted by the image of Fitz and Olivia's domesticity. Their clothes were hanging neatly side by side, Olivia's items easily taking up two thirds of the space. Stacey ran her fingers along Fitz's clothes allowing her mind to consider for a moment what it would be like to be the recipient of his affections, not just the subject of his sexual desires. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices coming from the bedroom. Madison and Olivia were finished in the bathroom and had joined Renée. She grabbed two garment bags, one from Fitz's side of the closet and the other from Olivia's, sneering at the designer luggage, an obvious gift from Fitz. Remembering Fitz's admonishment from earlier, she plastered on her best fake smile and joined the other women.

When Stacey reentered the room she found Olivia seated in a bar chair that someone delivered to the room along with champagne glasses and an antipasto tray. She looked around and shook her head. Fitz must have intercepted the housekeeper and asked for the additional items. Olivia was dressed in only the robe and her hair was in its naturally curly state. Madison was blowing it straight with a ghd Air Hairdryer. Fitz was right; Olivia was a beautiful woman without enhancement. It should be an easy night for the glam squad.

The three women were briefly startled by a loud popping sound followed closely by the sound of Renée's giggles as she uncorked a bottle of champagne. She quickly poured four glasses, handing one each to Stacey and Olivia before placing a third in the dresser near Madison. Renée raised her glass in the air and exclaimed, "To the beautiful ones." All of the women laughed heartily before taking a sip of their champagne.

"Stacey," Madison called, pulling Olivia's hair up to the crown of her head. "How about a sexy, tousled ponytail?"

"A ponytail?" Olivia questioned. "I just cut my hair. It's not long enough."

"I've got plenty of hair," Madison countered. "And, thanks to the photo Fitz sent Stacey, it's already died to match your color."

Olivia frowned. "What photo?"

Ignoring Olivia's question, Stacey addressed Madison, "A ponytail would be perfect. It's youthful, but when paired with her dress will look sexy and edgy. I don't want to add bangs, so her roots should have lots of volume. The ponytail itself should have body and it should swing in rhythm with her hips when she walks. Let's do it."

Annoyed that both women were talking about her rather than to her, Olivia spoke up. "I don't want a weave. It's important to me that I don't start changing who I am to please him. When he looks at me, I want him to see the real me, not some plastic perfect version of me," she said in a commanding tone, making it clear that she was the one calling the shots.

Madison was shocked by Olivia assertive response. "I get it and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made assumptions about who you were based on what I know about Fitz."

"It's okay. You're not the first person to do that," Olivia offered, trying to push away the memories from the previous night creeping into her conscious. "I'm still adjusting to being with Fitz, but I know I'm different from the type of women he usually dates. I'm proud of that and I'd like to stay that way." Reflecting on Fitz's angry words from earlier, she added, "Whatever the future may hold, I'm committed to being myself."

Olivia's honesty and relatability were a refreshing change from the clientele she was used to working with and was starting thaw Madison's initial frosty demeanor. "I should have started this process by asking if there were things you didn't want me to do with your hair. If I may, I think I have a reasonable compromise that will work for both you and Stacey. How do you feel about clip-in extensions? They would only be for the gala and it will take you less than two minutes to remove them when you get back to the room tonight. It would be a temporary change to achieve a very specific look that Stacey will never let you repeat. Is that acceptable?"

Olivia nodded slowly. "Thanks for understanding."

"No worries," Madison offered. "Tonight is all about you." In a low voice so only Olivia could hear, she added, "Don't worry about challenging Stacey. She understands making you happy is the only way to make him happy. She wouldn't dare disappoint one of her best clients." In a louder, cheerful voice, she said, "Renée, Olivia's glass is empty. Bring her some more champagne and turn the music up."

Stacey watched as Madison and Renée fussed over Olivia. Pleased things were going according to plan; she turned her attention to Fitz's outfit. She opened the garment bag and retrieved the two options. Holding both suits up for Olivia to see, she asked, "Which one do you like? Fitz said that you could make the decision."

Olivia's face twisted into a frown. "Me? Why? You're his stylist. You dress him far better than I ever could. You should pick."

Stacey beamed proudly. "I know he prefers the Tom Ford, it makes him feel like James Bond, but I think the cut of the Brooks Brothers suits him perfectly."

"I've been dropping hints about my dress all day. It's definitely worthy of a Bond girl. Let's go with the Tom Ford."

Stacey returned to her garment bag and removed a white marcella shirt with French cuffs, onyx studs, and a black diamond point bow tie. "Do you know where his cuff links are?" she asked Olivia.

"I think they're in the attaché case with my jewelry."

Stacey went into the closet and returned carrying the case with a pair of Tom Ford black leather derby shoes for Fitz and a pair of glittering gold Stuart Weitzman sandals with a single strap at the ankle and toe for Olivia. She placed the shoes near the bed and handed Olivia the case, waiting patiently while she unlocked it. When the case was open, Stacey gestured toward the case and asked, "May I?"

"Of course," Olivia replied, handing over the jewelry.

Stacey began opening and closing the small boxes looking at the options, occasionally praising the quality of the Samuel's artisanship. After thoroughly reviewing the contents of the case, she approached Olivia carrying two boxes. She opened the first box, revealing a pair of two-carat cushion cut diamond studs that matched Olivia's engagement ring. Talking to Madison and Renée, she said, "I think we should keep it super simple with her jewelry, just these and her engagement ring." The two women looked at the earrings and nodded their approval. She opened the second box, revealing a pair of platinum cuff links with black pavé diamonds. Speaking to Olivia, she asked, "Do you approve of these for Fitz?"

Olivia took the box from Stacey and examined the cuff links. "They're beautiful," she replied, in a hushed voice. "Samuel is an incredibly talented man. They're perfect for our 007."

Stacey looked at her watch and said, "Fitz should be back soon. Are you almost finished with her hair?" Madison nodded her reply, focused on putting the finishing touches on Olivia's ponytail. "Good, I want her to be in make up when he arrives. I don't care if he sees her hair or make up, but I want him dressed and out of here before I start dressing her.

Stacey walked over to the dresser opening the drawers searching for Fitz's boxers and socks. When she found what she was looking for, she went into the bathroom and began organizing things for Fitz. Olivia chuckled inwardly at how familiar Stacey's actions were, recounting the numerous times it was her responsibility to make sure his every need was anticipated and taken care of. These past few days with Fitz had been a complete reversal of that norm as he, or more accurately his team, catered to Olivia's every need, both real and those imagined by Fitz.

Olivia was just transitioning from hair to make up when there was a quiet knock on the door quickly followed by the door opening a crack and Fitz calling into the room, "Is it safe to enter?"

"I can't ensure your safety, but you can come in," Olivia replied.

"Hello ladies," Fitz greeted everyone as he entered the room and headed straight for Olivia. Reaching for the champagne glass on the table, he asked, "Is this your glass?" When Olivia replied affirmatively, he raised the glass to his lips, finishing the contents in a single swallow before refilling the glass and placing it on the table in front of her. "You look beautiful," he said to Olivia before asking Renée, "Have you done her lips?"

"No," she replied stepping out of the way.

Fitz positioned himself between Olivia's legs, leaning down and kissing her gently, careful not to touch her face or hair, before pulling away. "Hi," he said smiling at her. She laughed quietly and pulled his head down for another kiss before responding. "Hi. How is Stephen?"

"He's good. Pleased that you enjoyed the helicopter ride, but bummed his Yankees lost. He invited us to New York to join him in his box for the next game, but only if I promised not to wear this jersey."

She faux pouted. "I think you look cute in that jersey."

"I think the problem is the team, not the jersey," he teased. "The lawyers circulated the first draft of the subcontract. We can review it tomorrow."

"We?" she asked.

"You're the lawyer. I want your input." Stacey's ear perked up at Fitz's comment. Olivia had introduced herself as Fitz's assistant. If what Fitz said was true, she was overqualified for the position. Had proximity to Fitz been the primary motivation for Olivia's employment?

"I went to law school, I'm not a lawyer. You should trust your legal team on this."

"I trust you," he said, pecking her on the lips.

Without thinking, he reached up and caressed her face, intending to deepen the kiss when Stacey interrupted. "Alright you two, that's enough. Renée just started her make-up and you're ruining it." Fitz chuckled, noticing for the first time that his hand was on her cheek and removing it immediately. "You," she barked, "it's time for you get ready pretty boy. Everything is all set up for you in the bathroom. When you're done let me know and I'll bring in your shirt and pants."

"Which tuxedo did she choose?"

"The Tom Ford."

Fits grinned broadly. "The lady obviously has excellent taste in men and tuxedos," he said, kissing her one last time before doing as Stacey instructed and heading for the bathroom.

Renée resumed her position in front of Olivia, examining and touching up her cheek. "I don't know how you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Anything other than spend the day in that man's arms," she said dreamily.

Olivia laughed. "He's not always like this. He's extra today because he took me home to Boston, where he planned and executed a full day of surprises. Normally I hate surprises, but I have to admit today was incredible, every single detail of the day was perfect. Now he's strutting around because he thinks he's the king of surprises."

Renée shook her head laughing. "It's a very sexy strut."

"Don't let him hear you say that." Olivia teased. "He difficult enough to deal with today, he doesn't need any additional encouragement."

"So, spill, what's it like to be engaged to Fitz?"

"It's a little surreal. I mean, he's Fitzgerald Grant. Everyone in Miami is familiar with his reputation. I thought we'd go out on a couple of dates, have a little fun, and then we'd move on. But, I quickly learned that Fitz is so much more than his reputation. He's kind, thoughtful, protective, generous, and loyal." Renée raised her eyebrows, silently challenging Olivia's assessment of Fitz. "I know," Olivia said with a laugh, "that last one was a surprise to me as well."

"So, in other words, he's perfect."

"I didn't say that. His habit of indiscriminately bedding women means that his life is littered with women that know him intimately," Olivia said, pointedly looked at Stacey.

"Those bitches would have to go," she said sassily.

Olivia shook her head. "That would only send the message that I don't trust him, when I do. Some of these women have been in his life for years. Trying to push them out would only encourage them and discourage him. Love can't exist in a space without trust." Again looking at Stacey, she added, "We don't have secrets. He's honest and candid about his past and I try to remember it's just that, his past."

Before Renée or Stacey could respond, the bathroom door opened and revealed Fitz, fresh out of the shower, his towel resting low on his hips, drops of water running over his well sculpted abs. "Fuck me," Renée exhaled softly while Madison and Stacey stared at him with their mouths slightly agape. Olivia watched as Fitz enjoyed the women's reaction. Feeling her eyes on him, he stared at her grinning devilishly, before winking in her direction.

"Show off," Olivia teased. "We all know you're beautiful. Now, do you need something or did you just want us to stroke your ego."

Fitz flashed her his trademark lopsided grin. It wasn't his ego he wanted her to stroke, but this wasn't the time or the place to think about that. "I need my shirt and pants," he replied, running a hand through his hair that was beginning to curl despite being heavy with water. The simple motion flexed his biceps and gave his audience a better view of his torso.

"Do you want me to style your hair before you put on your shirt," Madison asked.

Fitz looked to Olivia for her opinion and she shrugged with indifference. "Sure," he replied. "Just let me put on some pants first," he said reaching for the clothing Stacey was handing him before disappearing into the bathroom.

Renée positioned Olivia's face so she could begin working on her eyes. "He just oozes sexy male confidence. How old is he?"

"Forty," Olivia and Stacey said simultaneously.

"I've never seen a forty year old man that looks like him. He must live in the gym."

"He works out less than you would think. He does just enough to prevent his lifestyle from affecting his body. He's guilty of at least four or five of the seven deadly sins, pride being near the top of the list."

Fitz once again opened the bathroom door, this time dressed in his tuxedo pants and an undershirt that was straining to contain his muscles, his feet still bare. "I'm ready for you," he said to Madison. She grabbed the things she needed from the table, following Fitz into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Determined not to respond to the brazen act of disrespect, Olivia remained still and silent while Renée worked her magic. She was surprised when the bathroom door opened less than a minute later and Fitz asked her, "Any requests?"

Renée stopped working so Olivia could turn her head in Fitz's direction. "She can gel your curls into submission, but don't let her cut them. I like your hair long enough to curl around my fingers."

"You heard my beautiful fiancée," Fitz said to Madison, retreating into the bathroom, but leaving the door open. Olivia couldn't stop the smile that was spreading across her face. Fitz recognized Madison's not so subtle message and countered with a message of his own. He belonged to Olivia; at least he did for the rest of the night.

Fitz, now fully dressed minus his tie and jacket, and Madison rejoined the group just as Renée was finishing Olivia's eyes. "You're just in time. I was just about to hand her over to Stacey. Do you think you can kiss her without touching her face?" Renée asked, stepping away from Olivia.

Fitz laughed at the tiny young woman throwing attitude his way. "I think I can manage," he said making his way to Olivia, under Stacey's watchful gaze. "Any chance I could convince you to let me stay while you get dressed?" he asked, rubbing his hands along her thighs.

"None. It's my turn to surprise you. Now kiss me before Stacey throws you out."

Fitz made a show of clasping his hands behind his back before leaning down and capturing Olivia's lips with his own for a slow, hungry kiss. Olivia was the first to break the kiss. "You should go before we forget why we're here," she teased.

Fitz pecked her lips a couple of times before leaving her in Stacey's very capable hands. "I'll be waiting for you in the living area."

Thirty minutes later, the bedroom door opened and Fitz looked up expectantly, unable to hide his disappointment when he saw it was Stacey leaving the room, not Olivia. Chuckling at his reaction, she explained, "They are just putting the finishing touches on her hair and make-up. She'll be out in a moment." She crossed the room and joined him on the couch. "Does she know?"

"Does she know what?"

"That you're falling for her."

"I'm not falling for her," he scoffed.

"How many women have I dressed for you?"

"Too many to count."

"Exactly. And, not once have I ever seen you like this. You're always so professional, so coolly detached from the current woman on your arm. There is something different about her, something special, even I can see it. In exchange for two hours of work, you financed a trip to New York for me and two of my friends. You've always been prone to grand gestures, but this is extreme, even for you."

"She's married," he deflected. "We're just friends."

"Does her husband know where she is?"

"Of course he does. What, did you think that I kidnapped her? They talk twice a day. Well…they were. I don't think they've spoken today."

"Does that have something to do with your handprint being on her arm and your fingerprints on her thigh?"

"Those aren't my prints," he spat. "Who do you think I am? I would never hurt her."

"Someone hurt Olivia?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern. "Who? Her husband? Is that why she's here with you?"

"Her husband is a whiny bitch baby, completely ill-suited for her, but I don't think he would hurt her, not physically."

"Well, who?"

"That's Olivia's story to tell. If she wanted you to know, she would have explained when you discovered the bruises."

"They were hard to miss once she took off her robe. Don't worry, Renée worked her magic to cover the bruises on her arm. Do you know who hurt her?"

"Yes," he replied, coolly.

"And?" she asked, frustrated by his sudden coyness. "You're just going to allow someone to get away with hurting her?"

He looked at her as if she'd lost her mind. "You know me better than that. I handled it the best I could in the moment. She was with me and I didn't want to cause her any more harm. I tried to convince her to press charges, but she refused."

"So…what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to ruin him, slowly, so I can enjoy it," he said, his eyes alight with mischief.

"Olivia must be very special to warrant such a response."

"Like I said, we're just friends."

"You light up when she's in the room and you hang on her every word. The way that you look at her, like she's your hallelujah, heroin, and reason to breathe. God," she sighed audibly, "what wouldn't I give to have a man look at me like that, even just once? I'm more than a little jealous of her." Fitz looked at her curiously. "You have to know how I feel," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Stacey, I…" he trailed off, uncertain what to say.

"Don't," she interrupted. "You're easy to love, but impossible to date. I know I'm not the woman for you. Before today, I was convinced no woman was. That was before I saw you with her. You didn't even pay any attention to Madison and she's fucking gorgeous, exactly your type."

"Is that why you brought her here?"

"I brought her because she's an incredibly talented hairstylist. The best I know." Fitz looked at her suspiciously. "OK, maybe just a little bit," she surrendered. "I was hoping to tempt you into ditching Olivia after the ball and partying with us in the city. In my defense, I didn't know about the two of you. I thought she was married."

"She is married," he growled in frustration.

"I couldn't tell watching the two of you together. She wasn't exactly spurning your advances. I dare say she was welcoming them. I've never seen you so affectionate with someone. You've got it bad, but she has a husband waiting for her at home. What are you going to do when she returns to him? You know that is what's going to happen, right? There is no way in hell she throws away her marriage to be with you. How long was your longest relationship? Six months?

Fitz sat there and silently stewed listening to Stacey. She didn't know anything about what was happening between him and Olivia. His past actions weren't relevant to his relationship with her. Everything about her, about them, was different. He wasn't being a hopeless romantic. He knew she was married and he knew that meant something to her, but he also knew she wasn't happy, she had told him as much. She had sacrificed so much - her family, her career, her passions - to be with Jake, yet she chose to spend the weekend with him, against her husband's wishes. She was there with him for a reason and he was determined to find out why.

"You don't understand," he offered weakly.

Stacey's eyes softened and she smiled at him warmly. "I'm not trying to be cruel, but I also can't stand by and watch her lead you on and take advantage of you. I know you and I've been in Olivia's shoes. Are you going to tell me that you're not throwing around your money, lavishing expensive gifts on her? How much has this little weekend cost you?" Fitz looked away from her awkwardly, uncomfortable by how easily she read him.

The door to their bedroom opened and Madison and Renée emerged. Fitz turned his attention to the women, thankful for the interruption. "She's ready for you," Madison said to Fitz. Stacey rose from the couch and joined the other women preparing to make their exit.

"Stacey…"

"Yes?"

"Thank you, for everything," he said, walking toward her. When he reached her, he opened his arms and pulled her into an endearing hug, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "You're a good friend." Fitz released her and walked toward the bedroom door.

'Fitz…" she called over her shoulder, just before descending the stairs.

He paused and turned his head toward her, his hand still on the doorknob. "Yes?"

"Prepare yourself."

"For what?"

"I dress beautiful women for a living and, even still, she took my breath away," she paused before adding, "If you're convinced she's the one, don't give up until she understands why you're the better man, the only man for her." With that, she and her friends disappeared down the stairs.

Fitz took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down before joining Olivia. When he was ready, he slowly twisted the doorknob and opened door. Olivia was standing in the middle of the room, fidgeting nervously as she waited for him. The moment their eyes clashed, a sexual yearning leapt between them, devouring them slowly.

"Hi," he said, in a breathy exhale, all of the air rushing out of his lungs as he took in the sight before him. Olivia was a vision in white, the contrast with her caramel skin tone making her radiant. She was breathtakingly beautiful in a sequin-encrusted white column gown with a wide plunging neckline, stopping just above her belly button and exposing a generous amount of cleavage. Accenting the dress were a trio of neon yellow strings forming a Y across her exposed skin. How he longed to trace the path of the strings with his tongue.

"Hi," she replied, giggling nervously, under his intense gaze. "You look dashing."

"You look amazing, absolutely stunning. It's taking every ounce of willpower I have not ravish you where you stand. I've never wanted anything as badly as I want you right now."

Unable to handle his unvarnished honesty, Olivia's eyes darted to the floor. She craved his affirmation and receiving it made her feel appreciated and worthy. She could hear her mother's voice chiding her for letting a man define her worth, but that's not was this was. There was something different about this man. He reminded her of her worth without trying to define it for her. He had no desire to control her, but desperately wanted to consume her. Yes, he wanted her to submit to him, but only if it empowered her to do so. It was evident that whatever happened between them would be her choice and her choice alone, uninfluenced by him or anyone else. He was standing before her willing her to choose him and she was uncertain how to respond. Did she want him as much as he appeared to want her? Was giving into those desires worth the consequences?

Fitz stood quietly, waiting for her to return his attention to him. When she did, he said, "I don't think any woman has ever looked more beautiful than you do tonight."

"It's not too much?" she asked timidly.

Recalling her response from earlier, he said, "It's the perfect amount of much. Can you move?"

"Yes," she replied, giggling demurely. "I probably shouldn't do jumping jacks, but I can walk and dance without being concerned."

"How?" he asked, genuinely confused about how the dress was defying the laws of physics.

"Tape. Trust me it's secure."

"Turn around, slowly," he commanded in a deep, sexy baritone that was laced with need. His gaze burned over her, making the ache in her body grow. A little self-conscious at first, she began a slow turn, exposing the side cutouts in her dress, holding his gaze until the strain on her neck was too much to bear. She heard him growl a deep rumble that only added to the slick heat gathering between her legs when she revealed the back, or lack thereof, of her gown. The dress dipped low, a small neon yellow modesty patch and some strategically placed neon strings, the only things preventing her from being indecent. Fitz's fingers twitched involuntarily with the desire to make contact with her exposed skin.

"Do you like it?" she asked shyly.

Struggling to maintain control, he replied, "Like is not the word I would use. I love everything about the way you look tonight. The only thing more perfect would be to see that dress on the floor."

"Okay, Bruno," she teased. "It took me two hours to get ready. We are at least making an appearance. I want to show you off."

"Trust me; no one will be looking at me. All eyes will be on you and that dress."

"Stacey has an incredible eye. The whole look is flawless," she said modestly.

"The dress is simply decorative. It's you that's absolute perfection."

Feeling her resolve weakening, she changed the topic. "Shall we go?"

"Can I say no?"

"No," she replied, grinning widely. "We have people to convince of our love"

"That shouldn't be a problem tonight," he said moving toward her and pulling her into his embrace. He buried his face in her neck, dropping sloppy open mouthed kisses along the column of it, making her groan in frustration as her body vibrated under his touch. His kisses moved down to the slope of her shoulder, left bare by her evening gown and his hands dipped below her dress' modesty patch.

"Fitz," she gasped, uncertain if she wanted him to stop or continue.

Fitz reluctantly tore his lips and hands from her skin. Gathering himself, he said, "Then we shall," offering her his arm. Olivia nodded, her skin still flushed and tingling from his touch, and laid her hand on his arm, allowing him to escort her from the room.

 **A/N: A bit of a disclaimer, this was supposed to be the third of three chapters planned for their day together, but once I started writing, I ended up going in a different direction than originally planned. I decided to pop their bubble a little to see how they would respond to an outside challenge. The next chapter will explore the connection that's building between them now that they've exposed themselves a bit. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments – let me know what you liked and disliked. Sometimes you guys read things in the story that I didn't consciously write, which then triggers other ideas or thoughts. Thank you for the inspiration.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I'm sorry for being away longer than usual. I'd tried to make amends by writing an extra-long chapter for you guys. Thanks for your comments encouraging me not to drop this story. I'm committed to this story, but your comments encourage me to carve out time to write. I wish there was a way for me to respond without posting the teaser chapters.**

 **Several of you correctly pointed out that Olivia is styled to mimic Kerry Washington's 2016 Oscars after party look. I intended to include that in my A/N for the last chapter, but I forgot. Sorry!**

 **Mesus, you owe me a plate of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. ;-)**

 **I wrote and edited this chapter on my iPad. Please excuse any typos and grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy!**

"Then we shall," he said, offering her his arm. Olivia laid her hand on his arm, allowing him to escort her from the room. When they reached the top of the stairs, he paused and took a long look at her. "Are you sure you can walk?"

"I'm sure," she replied, smiling brightly. "Are you worried about the heels or the dress?"

"I'm not worried about anything. I just want to make sure you're comfortable," he said nervously.

"I'm fine. Why would I be uncomfortable?" Suddenly feeling insecure about her choice, she asked, "Do you wish I had selected a more modest dress?"

"No," he replied with surprised alarm. "I want you to wear whatever makes you feel good. Knowing you picked this dress to wear tonight, while you are with me, is giving me all kinds of naughty thoughts. I'm having a difficult time keeping my hands to myself," he said, running his finger slowly along the yellow string that ran between her exposed cleavage.

Olivia shivered under his feather-light touch. "Then why are you hesitating? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he said reassuringly, dipping his head and brushing a kiss against the sensitive spot right below her ear that made her purr. "I'm just not ready to share my incredibly beautiful, youthful, sexy fiancée with a room full of dirty old sexagenarian men."

"Share? Are we going to an _Eyes Wide Shut_ style ball?" she teased, slowly moving closer to him. He laughed and wrapped his arms around her small waist. Growing serious, she said in a sultry voice, "Even if we were it wouldn't matter. You, Fitzgerald Grant, are the fantasy. You don't have to worry about sharing me."

As soon as the words left her lips, she realized what she said and worried how he would respond. When their eyes connected, she didn't know what to make of the combination of affection and amused confusion displayed on his face. She could practically hear his mind racing as he studied her closely, searching her face to determine if there was any truth to her words or if it was simply a slip of the tongue. She reached up and gently placed her index and middle fingers across his lips. "Shh..," she said, silencing his unspoken thoughts. "We have thirty-eight hours before we return to Miami. Let's just enjoy being here, together, and not waste the precious minutes we have left thinking about what's waiting for us at home."

Olivia removed her fingers from his lips and stretched up on her tiptoes aiming to place a chaste kiss upon his lips, but at the last second, Fitz moved out of her reach. She frowned, disappointed. Was there something she missed? Was he distancing himself from her because of her earlier slip up? Addressing her confusion, he offered, "Your lipstick. Stacey would kill both of us if your make up is smeared in the event photos."

"I think the shellac on my lips can withstand a kiss."

"Probably, but do you really want to risk it?"

Olivia pouted in his arms, pressing her body intimately against him. "Are you really not going to kiss me all night so our pictures will be perfect?" she whined.

"Have you seen how sexy you look tonight? The chance of that happening is none. I'm just waiting until after you make your grand entrance before I risk ruining the perfection that you are right now."

"In that case, we should join the others downstairs."

Fitz tightened his grip on her waist, holding her close. "Are you sure you're okay with this? It's not too late to change your mind about ditching the ball and flying to Paris," he teased.

Olivia leaned in, resting against his firm, muscular body. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, allowing his scent to consume her. Everything about him screamed confidence, power, and masculinity and, for a moment, she allowed herself to pretend he was hers. There, securely wrapped in his embrace, she felt protected and safe. "I'm sure," she replied softly. "Promise me you won't start anything tonight." He hesitated for a moment, provoking a hip check from Olivia. "Fitz," she warned. "Promise me."

He pulled away from her enough so that she could see his face without straining her neck. "I won't start anything, but, if someone else does, I promise you I'm ending it quickly. I'm not going to make the same mistake I made last night. I was serious when I said I'm not taking my eyes off of you all night. I won't allow anyone else to hurt you."

"Don't you think you're being a tad bit overprotective?" she asked.

He didn't know how to respond. She roused a protective, possessive nature in him that had never been present before. Now that she'd allowed herself to be vulnerable with him, he couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt in any way. "No such thing," he said placing a soft kiss to her temple. "I will always protect the people I care about."

Olivia shuddered in his arms as the air grew thick between them. How did they keep finding themselves here, in these moments of naked truths where their admissions bordered on confessions? Eventually they would have to stop flirting with what was happening between them and address it, but tonight was not the night. Changing the topic to ease the tension building between them, she said, "Let's not lose sight of why we're here. Let's go convince the Merkles and the others you're ready to join them as the head one of the most successful design-build firms on the east coast."

"Just the east coast? Why not the country? The world?"

Olivia laughed, the sound a sweet melody that soothed his lonely heart. He could spend the rest of his life making her laugh. "You have to crawl before you walk," she teased, tapping him lightly on the nose. "Let's get you in the CEO chair first, before you start plotting to take over the world."

"With you by my side it's just a matter of time before I do both," he said, flashing her a grin that made her want to melt in his arms.

"You cocky devil," she laughed before adding, "Are you taking me to this ball or did I get all dressed up for nothing?"

"It definitely wasn't for nothing," he said seductively, his eyes roaming slowly over her scantily clad body.

Olivia playfully swatted at his arm. "Let's go handsome," she said, intertwining her fingers with his and leading him down the stairs.

Fitz and Olivia made their way arm in arm to the main entrance where the staff were greeting guests arriving for the ball that hadn't been invited for the weekend. They were pointed in the direction of a winding staircase leading to the basement of the main house. Olivia's pulse raced, a nervous excitement coursing through her veins as she tightened her grip on Fitz's arm. He looked at her, smiling softly, and kissed her on her forehead to calm her nerves. "Relax, beautiful. It's the other women that should be nervous. You're about to suck up all of the oxygen in the room."

"Is that a good thing?" she asked shyly.

Fitz fought against the emotion welling up inside him. "It's a very good thing. You're about to prove to everyone what I already know." Olivia looked at him with a raised eyebrow, inviting him to continue. He smiled widely and continued, "That I'm the luckiest man on the planet."

The couple descended the marble staircase leading to the grand ballroom, where they were met by the murmur of conversations from the small crowd of people mingling in the ballroom foyer. When the couple came into view, a hush fell across the room, and for a moment, it felt as if all eyes and camera lenses were on them. "Told you," Fitz boasted, but Olivia didn't hear him, she was too distracted by the beauty and grandeur of the room.

From her elevated position on the stairs she had an unobstructed view into the ballroom. There were at least a dozen dimly lit beautiful crystal chandeliers that shrouded the room in romantic shadows. Sharply dressed waiters buzzed about the room carrying heavy trays of hors d'oeuvres and glasses of champaign. Guests dressed in dapper tuxedos and elegant evening gowns were gathered around cocktail tables decorated with crisp white linens that were in stark contrast to blood red roses that dominated the centerpieces. In the center of the room, there was a sprinkling of couples twirling around slowly on a large white marble dance floor. At the north end of the room there was an orchestra playing softly enough that the guests could talk without shouting. The south end of the room had a large bar manned by several affable but efficient bartenders pouring drinks with a slight flair. It was a scene plucked straight from a movie, one that Olivia never thought she'd personally experience.

She'd been trying to deny it all week, but each passing day made it more difficult to ignore, life was good as a member of the one percent. However, she wasn't on the arm of just any multi-millionaire, she was with Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, III, and he had proven himself to be everything she'd ever wanted in a partner. Today, he'd been too "everything". Too gorgeous. Too attentive. Too perfect. For hours at a time, she'd forgotten she was married. Forgotten about everything except the man standing beside her and how he made her feel.

Noticing that Olivia had stopped walking, Fitz turned to her and asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. I'm just taking it all in, trying to remember every single detail," she said, continuing her descent as the crowd below resumed their conversations.

Fitz smiled at her warmly as he carefully guided her to the bottom of the stairs. "Stick with me beautiful and all this and more could be yours," he teased. Before she could respond, he reached out, cupping her cheek with one hand while wrapping his free arm around her waist, and pulled her close. He dipped his head down and kissed her softly, smiling against her lips when he heard the camera shutters going off around them. He allowed himself only a moment before he broke their kiss, ever mindful of the judging eyes casting long glances their way.

Fitz maneuvered them into the crowd waiting to be granted entrance to the ballroom, keeping one arm possessively wrapped around her waist. Olivia noticed many of the guests were looking in their direction. "Why does it feel like people are staring at us?" she whispered.

"Not us, Livvie, you."

"There are just as many, if not more, women staring at us as men. The brunette near the door is practically fucking you with her eyes."

He pulled her in front of him so they were facing each other, running both of his hands down her back to the slope of her butt. He loved her ass. Soft, firm, perfect; just like everything else about her. "Are you jealous?" he asked playfully.

"Should I be?" she asked in a sultry voice.

He grinned at her wickedly. "You know you're the only woman I want in my life." Fitz looked deeply into her chocolate doe eyes. Why had it taken him so long to realize how perfect she was for him? She had literally been right under his nose for four years and somehow he had repeatedly looked past her. Yes, he had always known that she was beautiful, intelligent, and incredibly sexy, but he'd been an idiot and never taken the time to really get to know her. Why had he simply accepted that she was happily married without taking a moment to really see her, to determine if her heart believed what her mouth parroted?

Olivia looked at Fitz curiously. His comment brought up a question she'd been dying to ask. It was a running joke between the pair that he hadn't had sex in five days, but they had only been in the Hamptons for three days. What had Fitz so distracted that he opted to abstain for the two days prior to their trip knowing it would be five additional days before they returned to Miami? He spent Monday night living down to his reputation, drinking, partying, and sleeping with random women. What changed for him on Tuesday?

Fitz noticed the faraway look in Olivia's eyes and wondered what she was trying to process. His comment about her being the only woman in his life shouldn't have been news to her. They frequently joked that she was his longest relationship. For years, Olivia and his mother had been the only women of importance in his life and, if it were up to him, Olivia's role in his life would only grow after they returned to Miami. Looking at her now, contently resting in his embrace, it seemed heresy that she wanted to be anywhere but exactly where she was. He chuckled when he observed a question quivering across her lips. "Ask me," he prodded her in hope that being completely transparent with her would allay her fears and allow her to trust herself with him.

"Ask you what?"

"Whatever it is you're thinking about. Ask me. You know I don't have secrets from you."

Olivia laughed, turned away from him, and noticed the crowd had thinned in front of them. "It's our turn. Let's speak to the Merkles and head inside," she said, taking his hand in hers.

"Fitz, Olivia," Jean said with a charming smile, welcoming the pair. She approached Olivia with open arms and kissed her on both cheeks. "You look stunning in that dress, my dear, absolutely stunning."

"Thank you," Olivia replied, bashfully, feeling slightly uncomfortable under the regal woman's gaze as she tried to gauge if the compliment was genuine or shade.

Before she could say more, Fitz interrupted, taking the older woman's hand and raising it to his lips. "Jean, you look beautiful. The emerald green of your dress makes your eyes radiant tonight. Stephen better keep a close eye on you or a younger, slightly more handsome man may try to steal you away," he flirted, with a wink.

"Fitzgerald," she replied with a gasp, a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. "You are quite the rascal. I'm surprised Olivia lets you out of the house."

While Fitz entertained Jean, Olivia approached Stephen. "Good evening," she said, extending her hand to him, who in turn kissed the back of it.

"You are, in every sense of the word, breathtaking this evening. Young Fitzgerald is an extremely lucky man to have you on his arm tonight," he replied.

Olivia laughed politely. "I prefer to think he's on my arm. Fitz in a tuxedo makes for delicious eye candy. Don't you agree?" It was Stephen's turn to laugh at her charm. "On another note, I wanted to thank you for so graciously loaning us your helicopter today. The experience was a real treat."

Stephen smiled warmly, "You're most welcome, although, I was disheartened to hear the two of you sullied my baby and my home with those hideous jerseys. Did Fitz extend my invitation?

"Did I do what?" Fitz asked, approaching her from behind, his arm once again finding her waist.

Olivia smiled in acknowledgement, as she leaned into his embrace. "He was asking if you extended his invitation to join him for a Yankees game. I was just about to tell him that it would be our pleasure to join him in enemy territory." Looking at Stephen, she said, "But, I must warn you I will be representing my boys loudly and proudly. You may want to reconsider your offer," she said, her lips turned up in the most beguiling smile.

Fitz was impressed by how easily Olivia had adjusted to his world. Long gone was the woman from a few days ago who was insecure, nervous, and consumed with worry about being inadequate. She had been replaced by this quietly confident beauty that easily captured everyone's attention. Even more, there was no trace of awkwardness between the pair, it was as if they had always been and only needed to find each other. She had surpassed all of his expectations of her as his companion for the weekend.

After a few exchanges of playful taunting with Stephen, the couple made their way into the ballroom. When they walked past a waiter carrying a tray of champagne flutes, Fitz reached out and swiped two glasses. He handed one to Olivia and asked, "How many have you had?"

"Two and a half over two hours. I'm fine," she said, continuing her aimless stroll into the room with him following close behind her.

"How many can you handle?"

"Many more than three." Fitz looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I had at least five at lunch the other day and I was fine."

"You were tipsy after lunch on Wednesday," he said matter-of-factly.

"Maybe," she said, smiling brightly, "but I was still appropriate. Don't worry, I've had lots of practice. I won't embarrass you."

"I'm not worried about you embarrassing me," he said, stopping in front of one of the cocktail tables.

"What then?" she asked. Fitz's eyes danced with mischief. A sudden understanding washed over Olivia. "Oh…" she whispered on a long, drawn out breath. "You were planning to get me drunk so you could take advantage of me tonight."

"What kind of man do you think I am?" he asked, feigning outrage and disappointment. "I don't have to get women drunk to seduce them. The promise of being with me is usually enough to charm my way into their beds."

Olivia took a long sip of her champagne. "Is that what's happening here? Are you charming your way into my bed?"

"Are you forgetting that I woke up in your bed this morning?"

Olivia leaned closer to Fitz and, in her most sultry voice, whispered in his ear, "I remember every detail of this morning." Her tongue darted out, briefly licking his lobe, eliciting a soft moan. She pressed her body close to his before adding, "Especially the part about you waking up with your pajama bottoms still on." She pulled away from him giggling softly.

"It's not nice to tease, Livvie," he groaned before swallowing the rest of his champagne in a single gulp. "I'm going to need something stronger if you're going to keep this up all night."

"It's not my fault you're an easy mark." Olivia wrapped her arms around him, turning her face up to his, silently inviting him to kiss her. He stroked her cheek tenderly with his thumb, looking down at her and finding her staring back at him with soft doe eyes. He tenderly held her face in his powerful hands, the juxtaposition of his strength and his gentleness heightening her arousal. Olivia waited for him to make his move, but he remained still. "Who's the tease now?" she whispered.

Fitz lowered his head and covered her soft lips with his. He slowly parted his lips, waiting for her response. When she opened her mouth, he moved swiftly, capturing her tongue and drawing it carefully into his mouth. Olivia moaned softly as he gently sucked on her tongue. There was no trace of inhibition as she matched his efforts, their tongues engaged in a lazy and sensual exchange. She willingly following where he led, totally absorbed by the pleasure of his mouth on hers, her body slowly melding into his.

The sound of camera shutters going off around them pulled Fitz out of his lust-induced haze and he separated their lips slowly. Olivia's eyes fluttered open and an adorable annoyed frown spread across her face. "Damn photographers," he growled, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "I swear the Merkles are going to have a hundred photos of us kissing if they don't find somewhere else to point their lenses."

Olivia laughed. "Shouldn't you be used to this? I'm the one that should be hiding from the cameras, not you. Unless," she paused, her bottom lip protruding slightly, "you don't want to be photographed with me."

Moving lightening quick, Fitz bent over and nipped her lower lip, causing Olivia to squeal in surprise. "I wouldn't care if they were just taking pictures of me. I don't like them photographing every move you make. You're not some pin-up girl for their viewing pleasure," he growled.

She rested a hand on his chest, trying to soothe him. "You can't protect me from everything. For now, we have to trust that they're doing their job and only their job. If that's not true, we'll handle it together."

Fitz released a defeated sigh and offered her a weak smile. "You're right. Come with me," he said, grabbing her hand. "I need a drink and then there's someone I want you to meet." Olivia followed him as he led her across the room in the direction of the bar.

The Merkles' guests were a veritable who's who list, as the titans in their industry proudly peacocked around the room, not so subtly dropping hints about their recent accomplishments and offering challenges to their competitors. The next hour was a blur of names and faces as Fitz introduced her to seemingly every developer, architect, and contractor on the east coast. Some of the names were familiar from her role as his assistant, but most were new to her. Almost everyone was well acquainted with and respected Big Gerry. Most made a point to remind Fitz that he had very big shoes to fill if rumors of his father's retirement were to be believed. A select few made it clear to him that if he was not deemed a worthy successor they would be interested in the job. Throughout it all, Fitz mostly managed to keep his composure, only needing Olivia to run interference with the occasional provocative asshole.

Olivia's favorite party guest by far was Harrison Wright, a smooth, fast-talking, impeccably dressed African American developer from Washington, D.C. He and Fitz met in graduate school and became fast friends. It didn't take her long to figure out why, as she was certain they could both charm their way into a nun's panties. The poor women of Cambridge didn't stand a chance during the three years that duo prowled the bar scene. Harrison regaled Olivia with tales from their graduate school days that were embarrassing to Fitz, but appropriate for the mixed company. Although Harrison was a shameless flirt, Olivia was surprised to find that Fitz was completely relaxed around him. She made a mental note to suggest that Fitz meet Harrison for dinner when he traveled to Washington for a conference at the end of next month.

When they were finally done mingling, Fitz escorted Olivia out onto the dance floor. The couple twirled around the dance floor, grateful to have a moment to themselves. At first, Olivia was too aware of the eyes and shutters that were focused on her and Fitz as they gracefully moved around the room, but she eventually relaxed into the comfort of his embrace. After that, it didn't take long for her to forget that there were other couples dancing in the same space as she concentrated on Fitz's expressive blue eyes and the way his body felt pressed against hers. They were mostly silent as they danced and Olivia wondered what he was thinking about. Today had been a perfect day and she was afraid she'd spoil it if she started asking questions about what was going on in his head. Instead, she rested her head on his chest and allowed his calm presence to quiet any doubts she was having. After a few songs, the band shifted to a tango. Much to Fitz's displeasure, Olivia bowed out, leaving the dance floor explaining that the style of her dress didn't afford her the freedom necessary to do the dance justice.

The couple was standing, sipping champagne, and people watching when Stephen approached the pair. "Fitz. Olivia," he greeted them.

"Stephen," Fitz replied politely, while Olivia smiled softly in his direction before looking around the room for a place to escape what was sure to be another conversation about the Patterson Place subcontract.

Stephen addressed Fitz, but his gaze remained on Olivia. "I was wondering if you would permit me to borrow the second most beautiful woman in the room for a dance."

Olivia's eyes widened in shock at his request. Fitz turned to her, silently asking for her permission. She gave him a small nod, leaning over to kiss his cheek before extending her hand to Stephen. "I'll be right back," she said.

"I'll be right here," he replied, letting her know that he hadn't forgotten his promise to stay with her all night.

Olivia followed Stephen to the middle of the dance floor and giggled softly as he awkwardly took her into his embrace. "I'm not sure where to touch you," he offered in explanation.

"You can touch me where you normally would," she responded cautiously, fearing Seth and his father had more in common than Stephen's carefully crafted family man image would suggest. She relaxed a bit when he rested his hand firmly in the middle of her back, taking her hand in his and allowing plenty of space between their bodies as they began to sway to the music. Olivia felt Fitz staring at them and locked eyes briefly with him smiling, letting him know that she was okay. "So," she said, returning her attention to Stephen. "How can I help you?"

Stephen laughed softly. "I respect your directness. I shouldn't have expected anything less from the woman about to marry into the Grant family." It was Olivia's turn to laugh. "I actually stole you away for a few minutes to offer my assistance."

Olivia's interest was piqued, but she maintained her poker face. "I'm not sure I follow."

"I've known Big Gerry for more than thirty years and, on some levels, I'd like to believe we're friends. I've watched how he's treated Fitz, riding him hard as an adolescent; criticizing every decision he made as a young adult; and trapping him in a job he didn't want only to make him work twice as hard as those around him for half the recognition. Nothing Fitz has ever done has pleased Gerry and there is no reason to expect that to change between now and his retirement."

Stephen paused and studied Olivia's face. "Why am I going on and on? I'm sure you know all of this. I imagine he's even found fault in you." Olivia gave him a wry smile, but remained otherwise unresponsive, waiting for him to continue. "As much as he wants Fitz to be the next CEO of Grant Enterprises, he will never be convinced that he deserves, has earned, the job. Fitz is going to need allies in the industry if he hopes to convince the Board that he should be the one to lead the company into the future, especially if he doesn't get Gerry's ringing endorsement. I would like to be one of those allies. I believe he has a bright future ahead of him and I would like for Merkles Industries to be a part of that future."

Olivia carefully considered her next words. "Why are you telling me this instead speaking directly with Fitz?"

"I've already spoken to Fitz and plan to continue doing so. It's part of why I wanted to handle the Patterson Place deal personally. I wanted an opportunity to work with him on an ongoing basis without raising suspicions."

"You don't think it's suspicious for the President and CEO of a multi-billion dollar company to be personally involved in a project of this size?"

Stephen laughed heartily, drawing Fitz's attention. Olivia winked in his direction, reassuring him that there was no reason for concern. "You have a point, but I needed a reason to travel to Miami and for Fitz to travel to New York."

Olivia didn't like where this was going. Stephen was being too direct about somethings and too coy about others. He wanted something from Fitz and he thought she could deliver it, but she had no idea what he was angling for. "With all due respect, I still don't understand why we're having this conversation, in the middle of a dance floor no less."

"I'm talking to you because I believe we have similar interests."

"You hardly know me. How can you claim to know my interests?"

"It's obvious to anyone with eyes that you are perfect for him. I've watched as he's tried to find the balance between closing this deal and being present with you. Frankly, I was impressed, this morning when he came to my office with his preliminary notes and comments on the contract draft. I was surprised when he informed me that he would be unavailable today because he was spending the day with you in Boston. His father would have found weakness in his decision and questioned his priorities, but I saw strength. He was sending a clear message; business is important to him, but not more important than you are. The line for his attention starts behind you. I respect that."

Olivia wondered where Fitz found the time to review the subcontract and make plans for their Boston trip. Did he sleep at all last night? She wasn't usually a sound sleeper. How did she sleep through his activities? "I don't understand what any of this has to do with me. I won't help you do anything that I don't believe is in his best interest."

"I wouldn't expect anything less than that, but I'm hoping I can make you see over the next few months how partnering with me and my company is in his best interest as well his company's interest."

"It's not his company yet," Olivia quickly pointed out.

"I like you Olivia," he said with a small chuckle. "You keep this up and I may just offer you a job."

"You don't know my background."

"It doesn't matter. There's always a place in my company for a smart, loyal, passionate individual."

"I live in Miami. Your company only has offices in the northeast."

"You live in Miami today. In the future, maybe not."

Growing uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation, Olivia looked for Fitz. She grew tense in Stephen's arms as she watched someone approach him. Stephen looked at Olivia with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked, following the direction of her gaze. "Did something happen between them?"

Fitz was smiling contently, watching Olivia dance with Stephen when he noticed someone approaching him in his peripheral vision. "That's close enough," he warned.

"Come on Fitz," Seth replied with a sigh. "How long have we been friends?"

"Long enough that I know I don't have to explain what will happen if you take another step. Say what you came to say and move on before you upset Liv," he snarled.

"I just wanted to apologize for my behavior last night," he said, sheepishly.

"I'm not the person you assaulted. You should be apologizing to Olivia."

"I would, but I assumed you wouldn't let me get anywhere near her -"

"You assumed correctly," Fitz interrupted.

"It's no excuse, but I was drunk, pissed that my father pushed me out of the Patterson Place deal, and jealous of all the attention he was showering on you."

"So you decided to rape my fiancée?" Fitz barked, his voice laced heavily with incredulous anger.

"I didn't know she was your fiancée and I wasn't going to rape her. I was going to pay her," Seth scrambled to explain.

Fitz's posture changed so he was bouncing on the balls of his feet, his fists clenched, ready to attack. "Can you hear yourself right now?" he whispered harshly. "I'm going to set aside the fact that you continue to refer to my fiancée as a whore. She was a woman rejecting your advances. When I got there, it was obvious she was terrified and struggling to get away from you. Is that what gets you off? Do you enjoy hurting women?"

"I wasn't going to hurt her," Seth whined.

"The bruises on her arm and leg suggest otherwise," he said coldly, relaxing out of his aggressive posture. "Did you touch her anywhere else?"

"What? No!" he exclaimed. "If she told you I did that bitch is lying. Is that the story she's telling my dad?"

"I'm not going to warn you again. Insult her one more time and you're going to be picking your fucking teeth up off the floor." Seth looked at him with shock and surprise written all over his face. "I think you've underestimated exactly who I am and what I'm willing to sacrifice for her." Fitz looked him squarely in the eyes and said, "She is everything to me and there are no limits to what I would do protect her and keep her safe from assholes like you."

"Is that what you were doing last night, keeping her safe? That was a sucker punch and you know it."

"I threw it out of respect for our former friendship. I wanted to incapacitate you before you made me hurt you. I won't be as thoughtful next time."

"I'll admit I deserved the beating last night, but we've been friends for more than twenty years. I can't believe you're standing there threatening me over some woman."

"Olivia's not just some woman. She's it for me. I will always choose her above everyone and everything else. And, I'm not threatening you. I'm warning you. Stay away from us or you won't like how this ends for you."

"Is that what she's doing with my father?" he asked, looking in their direction on the dance floor. "Trying to end things for me? After everything we've been through, are you just going to stand there and let this happen?"

"Ahhh…now we get to the real reason you're here," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You don't give a damn about me or Olivia. You're worried she is telling your father what you did to her last night and you're over here hoping I would reassure you that she's not. Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea what they're talking about."

"The two of you can't really be stupid enough to think he's going to side with her over his own son," he said, his tense, anxious voice revealing his false bravado.

"Olivia is a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them. Your father approached her, not the other way around. Look at them now," he said, looking in the direction of the dancing pair chatting animatedly about something. "He's clearly interested in what she's saying."

"Of course he is. Look at her in that dress. Every man in this room would listen to her read the phone book just to keep her in their arms a little longer."

"I'm going to need you to stop objectifying the woman I plan to marry. She's so much more than the parts you insist on focusing on."

"That's rich coming from a man with your sordid history. I'm not my father nor the rest of the people in this room that you are trying to impress. I know you, which is why I know you're not marrying Olivia. What I don't understand is why you're trying so hard to pretend to be someone you're not. You're using Olivia to get something you want. Right now, I don't give a damn what that is, as long as it doesn't involve my father's company. However, if you or Olivia come for me, I promise you I'll expose the truth about the two of you and make sure you never become CEO of you father's company."

"Now who's issuing threats? Unlike you, I don't have anything to hide. There's no subterfuge or pretext. If Olivia decides to go public with what you did to her, she will have the full support of the Grant family behind her and I will personally ensure you get exactly what's coming to you. After this weekend, I never want to see you again. Stay away from both of us."

Seth opened his mouth to speak, but Fitz cut him off before he could utter a sound. "Your father and Olivia are headed this way," he snarled. "You need to leave before you upset her any more than you already have. If you're smart, you'll stay away from us. You have less influence in this world than you think. If pushed, I can make life very unpleasant for you. Walk away now Seth," he barked.

Seth looked in the direction of Olivia and his father, debating what to do next. The pair looked a little awkward, but he couldn't tell from their body language if Olivia had snitched or not. He turned to Fitz and noticed he now appeared anxious as well. Deciding that his best move was to retreat, he nodded in Fitz's direction and said, "Please let Olivia know that I truly am sorry," and slipped away quietly.

Before Stephen and Olivia reached Fitz, the pair was stopped by a guest and Stephen was pulled away to attend to another matter. Olivia returned to Fitz and slid into his waiting arms. The powerful longings that surfaced every time she was near him. He hugged her close, wanting to protect her from the negative vibes that were lingering around the couple. "What was that about?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Fitz exhaled deeply. "He wanted to apologize for his behavior last night."

"To you?" she asked incredulously.

"I mentioned that. He said he didn't think I would let him get near you. He's right. I won't let him or anyone else hurt you. I made it clear that we won't have any future interactions, professional or otherwise."

"Are you sure that's wise? You have a lot riding on this trip. We don't need to provoke him unnecessarily."

"I'm sure," he said pecking her on the lips to end the conversation. "Your turn. What did Stephen want?"

"I'm not sure. The entire conversation was just odd."

"What do you mean?"

"He started by offering to help me help you become CEO and ended with what I think was a job offer."

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I told you it was odd. We can discuss in detail at a more appropriate time, but the bottom line, I think, is that he's invested in you becoming CEO of Grant Enterprises. I don't know what he's planning, but, whatever it is; he wants you in charge to help him do it."

"Or to allow him to do it," he said cynically.

"What do you mean?"

"He could be planning a takeover and thinks a friendly takeover with me in charge is easier than a hostile takeover with someone else in charge."

"Do you really think he would be so bold as to enlist my help to destroy your family's company?"

"At this point I wouldn't put anything past any of the Merkles."

"Whatever they're up to we'll figure it out together."

"Together?"

"I'll always be by your side."

"But Stephen think you're my fiancée. We have to -"

Olivia, using a trick from Fitz's playbook, kissed him to silence him. "Like I said," she offered, smiling mysteriously, "we'll figure it out together."

Fitz's head cocked to the side and he got a goofy grin on his face as the first few chords of the next song began to play. "How apropos for our evening. May I have this dance?" he asked, extending his hand to her.

Olivia accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. "The song's familiar, but I can't place the instrumental version."

"That's because you're a baby," he teased. He gently pulled her into his arms, taking her right hand in his and resting his free hand on the exposed skin right above the dress' modesty patch, holding her close as they began to dance slowly. "It's Frank Sinatra's _The Way You Look Tonight_."

"I know the song, but not the lyrics. Will you sing it to me?"

"I can't sing," he protested.

"I don't care," she countered.

"Has any man ever successfully denied you anything?" he asked with a light laugh.

Fitz dipped his head to hers so his lips were close to her ear and began singing softly. Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and he tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her body closer to his. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, enjoying the rough timbre of his voice as the emotional lyrics of the song communicated a message that neither one of them would dare utter. She lost herself in the perfection of the moment, unwilling to do so much as take a breath for fear that the real world would intrude.

When they reached the instrumental bridge, Fitz pulled away slightly so he could see Olivia's face and was surprised to find a faraway look in her eyes. Her body was there with him, but her mind was somewhere else. "What's on your mind?" he queried.

"Nothing, just enjoying being in your arms," she said in an attempt to deflect his attention away from her thoughts.

"Olivia," he said sternly. "Talk to me. Are you okay? Do you want to leave?" he asked, his eyes darting around the room for Seth or any other agitant.

"What I want is for you to stay right here on the dance floor with me," Olivia said softly, her eyes sparkling in the dim lighting.

"I'll stay, but only if you tell me what you had you so distracted."

"You'd really leave me on the dance floor all alone, in this dress, with Harrison standing over there?" she challenged him.

"No," he said with a soft chuckle, "but it was worth a shot." Olivia exhaled deeply. "What?"

"I was wondering if this is what it feels like to be Mrs. Fitzgerald Grant."

"Is that someone you think you may want to be?" he asked, partially tongue-in-cheek, but mostly serious.

Olivia looked away from him, choosing instead to stare at something over his left shoulder. "That would be complicated," she said softly.

The band transitioned to a new song, but they remained on the dance floor, Fitz holding her tight and swaying to the beat of the music. "Maybe, but not impossible." Olivia's eyes darted to his to gauge his sincerity. Fitz simply stared back at her, a small smile upon his lips, as he waited for her to complete her assessment.

"You've been a bachelor, doing things your way, with whomever you've pleased for most of your adult life. Do you even want to be in a relationship, a real committed relationship?"

"We've had this conversation," he said, smiling at her confidently while she continued to search his face for answers.

Olivia furrowed her brow and scrunched her nose in confusion. "We have?"

"I think you're adorable when you do that," he said, kissing her softly on her nose. "And yes, we talked about this in my office before you agreed to join me this weekend." Olivia's eyes lit up as she recalled the details of their conversation. It was his impromptu and heartfelt speech that convinced her, against her initial instincts, to join him for the weekend. "Eventually, I want to be in a relationship, marriage actually, with three kids and either a golden retriever or a chocolate lab. Only, I know what I'm worth and I'm not willing to settle for just any woman."

Olivia scowled in his direction. "Are you implying that I settled in my relationship?" she asked coolly.

He tightened his grip on her waist, making it clear she couldn't run. "You're the only person that can answer that," he said matter-of-factly. "You asked me what I wanted."

Olivia relaxed once again in his arms. "You're avoiding the question."

"You didn't ask a question," he retorted.

"Is this what it would be like to be Mrs. Fitzgerald Grant?"

"You would have to ask my mother that question," he teased.

"Fitz," she warned, "be serious."

"I am being serious. I've never been married so I don't know what it would be like. If by this you're talking about today, I'd have to say no." Olivia looked at him with a small frown. "Don't misunderstand me. I thoroughly enjoyed every second we spent together today, but we sequestered ourselves away from most of the world. When is the last time you went an entire day without talking, texting, emailing or checking social media? You can't remember, can you? Today was wonderful, but, unless we decided to give up everything and run away to a secluded island, which by the way I wouldn't object to, this wouldn't be our reality."

Olivia sighed dejectedly. "Hey," he called softly, smiling warmly when her eyes met his. "All of that's not to say days like today couldn't be a part of our lives. If you allow me to, I will always prioritize, provide for, and protect you. This weekend, I have learned how much fun it is to surprise and spoil you, so that would be a regular thing. Honoring family and traditions would also be important, but I would have a company to run and we would have a family to raise."

"Would that be my job?" she asked quietly.

"What? Raising our kids? Only if you wanted it to be. I'm equally comfortable as half of the consummate power couple as I am with being the breadwinner and all things in between. If you were my wife, all options would be available to you. It would be up to you to pick your path. My role would be to support whatever decision you made."

Olivia looked away from him. "You make it all sound so easy."

"I can't promise you easy. After all, you would be married to me," he said with a chuckle. "Relationships don't have to be all compromise and sacrifice. There is no reason we can't have the kind of happiness that lived at 350 Vermont Street."

Olivia's eyes snapped to his as she tried to discern if he understood the weight and magnitude of his comment. What did he know about the kind of happiness her parents shared? The kind of happiness that lived in that house? That house was filled with joy, laughter, encouragement, and lots of love. It wasn't something he could buy or something he could pay someone else to do. It had to be cultivated and nurtured. Did he have the desire, attention span, and patience to build a relationship like the one he was describing? Or, would he easily give into temptation, reverting to old habits when things got difficult or didn't go according to his plan? What, if anything, did she know about him that suggested he was capable of being the person, husband, he described?

"Are you ready to love again?"

A pained expression flashed across Fitz's face at the mention of Elizabeth, but he quickly recovered. "I didn't think it was a conscious choice. I thought falling in love was one of those things that just happened to a person."

Olivia paused, considering her reply before offering, "I don't think we decide who we fall in love with, but being open to the possibility of love is a choice. One you have to make or no woman will find her way into your heart."

Fitz struggled to come up with a response. Was Olivia right? Had he become a memorial to his dead fiancée? In that moment, holding her close, her head pressed against his chest, dancing as much to the rhythm of his heartbeat as the beat of the music, talking about their hypothetical future, he felt ready. He slowly tilted her head so that she was looking up at him, "I think I am. Are you?"

Olivia looked at him breathless with the hope of him being available to her and the despair of knowing she couldn't have him even if he was. She blinked a few times to clear her haze, replaying his words. It was only then when she realized that he asked her a question. "Am I what?"

"Are you in love with your husband?"

Olivia bristly slightly at the mention of Jake. "Honestly -"

"Unless you'd rather lie to me," he interrupted cheekily. Olivia rolled her eyes and shook her head before growing quiet. "Liv," he prompted her.

"I'm still with you, I'm just thinking about your question," she answered, before growing quiet again. After almost a full minute of silence, she began to speak. "A week ago I would have emphatically answered yes."

"And now?"

Olivia inhaled and then exhaled deeply, gathering herself before replying. "And now…I'm not sure. However, I do know that a happily married woman who is in love with her husband shouldn't feel the way I feel right now."

Fitz stared down at her in shock and surprise. He didn't know what he expected her to say, but it wasn't what she said. He wanted to say something, do something to let her know that she wasn't alone in her feelings, but he was paralyzed, unable to articulate his feelings.

Taking advantage of his disoriented state, Olivia slipped out of his arms, and fled out of the ballroom. "Liv, wait," Fitz called after her, following her as casually as possibly, trying not to draw attention to himself. She didn't pause, didn't hesitate, moving away from him as quickly as her column dress would allow. He finally caught up to her as she was ascending the curved staircase. She could feel him close behind her, but she didn't turn around. She couldn't. She hurried along, trying to put as much space between them and the rest of the ball guests before he caught her. When they were on the main floor, headed in the direction of the cottage, he reached out and grabbed her by the arm. "Livvie, please," he begged, his voice raspy with emotion.

She turned around to face him, easing backwards, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. How could she let this happen? It wasn't supposed to be this way. She was supposed to spend five days pretending with Fitz and return unfazed to her life with Jake. Her husband had begged her not to join Fitz for this very reason. What had he known about her that she hadn't known about herself?

Fitz hated to see her cry and hated himself for upsetting her. Why did he keep pushing, allowing his selfish need for her to drive his words and actions? How did he expect her to react? Did he think she would enjoy being torn between two men? How did things get so twisted? The look on her face was tearing him apart. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not when they'd just found each other and were realizing what they could have together. He needed to make her understand.

"Please don't cry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just…" he trailed off, emotion stealing his voice. "I just wanted you to know. This life could be yours, ours, we could build it together." He paused and swallowed hard, his red nose an indication that he was fighting to keep his own tears at bay. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and slowly palmed his face, trying to gather himself. When he felt he could continue, he looked down at her, his anguish etched deeply in his face. "I know I promised you that I respected you too much to do something like this and I do respect you, I do. But, I've also never lied to you and it would be lying to deny how I'm feeling."

Olivia stared at him, her lip quivering, tears freely streaming now. Her mouth was agape with disbelief, as the weight of his words crushed her, making it difficult for her to breath. Fitz silently cursed himself for making things worse instead of better, but he pressed on. "I needed you to hear it once, just once, from my lips before we walked away and convinced ourselves this never happened. I just wanted to be honest with you so there wouldn't be any doubt."

Olivia struggled to wrestle control of her emotions. Indecision, fear, anxiety, and desire swirled around her, holding her in place. A part of her wanted to flee from Fitz as fast as her legs would carry her and another part wanted to run into his arms. Uncertain what to do, she repeatedly rocked up on her tiptoes, moving neither forward or backwards. Fitz remained silent and still, terrified any movement would send her running away from him. He simply looked at her longingly; willing her to come to him, choose him. It was that look, the one that screamed let me love you, that was her undoing.

She rushed to him, grabbed his face between both of her hands, and kissed him feverishly until he gasped for breath. He matched her efforts, opening his mouth to receive the warm thrust of her tongue. He desperately held onto her with one arm, while his free hand traveled along her neck, down her breast, across her abdomen, and around her buttock. Then, without warning, she pulled her face away from his, breaking their kiss. Fitz looked at her, confusion, hurt, and fear marring his beautiful face. He exhaled in relief when she looked up at him, her eyes shining with desire, a small smile spread across her lips, plump for their kiss.

She wanted him, wanted him in a way she'd never wanted anyone before. It was the all-consuming kind of want, the kind that threatened to destroy her if she didn't give into it. She kissed him roughly, wanting to devour him with her mouth, biting his bottom lip, nearly drawing blood. He growled her name against her lips and she moaned in response, her body a shuddering mess in his arms. He slid his hand between her dress and her breast, carefully prying the tape from her skin. Cupping her freed breast in his palm, he gently rubbed his thumb back and forth across her nipple, slowly torturing the stiffening bud.

Olivia's face was a beautiful display of carnal pleasure, projecting her rapture as he pinched and rolled her tight bud between his thumb and forefinger. The friction from his fingers was maddening and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. "I warned you about that," he whispered in her ear, grinning wickedly before crashing his lips down on hers. Driven by her need, she involuntarily arched against him, forcing her body against his. When she felt his cock twitch against her belly, her desire surged as a tidal wave of emotion threatened to overwhelm her.

She pressed her hips firmly against him and his control snapped. His hands wove into her hair, holding her in place as he kissed her until she was sure she'd black-out. Sensing her weakening knees, his left arm wrapped around her body, holding her tightly against him. He slowly dragged the fingers of his right hand down the graceful arch of her exposed spine. His delicate touch made her back bend, pressing her stomach into his erection, as she released the sexiest sounds he'd ever heard escaping a woman's lips.

His hands quickly moved beneath her modesty patch. He released a husky moan of desire when he discovered her underwear was a scrap of material that covered absolutely nothing. "Why even bother?" he choked out in a broken, raspy voice, running his thumb along the thin strap of her thong. His hands crept lower until he was kneading the bare cheeks of her round bottom. Her fingers wound their way into his curls and she drew him down into a deep kiss, her soft moans vibrating against his lips.

"Upstairs now!" she ordered sexily.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, sweeping her up into his arms bridal style, making her giggle as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He carried her blindly down the hall, their lips never parting, as they traded lazy, lingering kisses. Rushing to get her to the bedroom, Fitz stumbled forward, nearly tripping over the first step.

"Don't drop me," she warned, laughing lightly.

"Don't worry. You're safe with me," he said, quickly ascending the stairs.

"Am I?" she asked in a sultry voice.

He paused outside their bedroom door and gazed at her with an unmistakable look of adoration and desire shining in his eyes. "I would never do anything to hurt you. With me, you will always come first. You are in control. Just say the word and I'll stop. Do you want me to stop?"

She looked up at him with hooded eyes and said, "I want you. I want this," bringing his face to hers for a long, slow kiss of seduction.

Fitz carried her over their room's threshold, kicking the door shut with his foot and turning on the lights. Surprising Olivia, he headed for the couch instead of the bed. He laid her down, careful to keep most of his weight off her, as he continued to assault her with his mouth. He tore his lips from hers, placing a series of wet, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He sealed his lips on her skin and sucked gently, careful not to leave a mark. He was rewarded with a moan as her hips bucked off the couch, seeking friction.

His fingers slipped beneath the straps of her dress, pulling them down her shoulders. She confidently sat up and removed her arms, allowing her dress to fall to her waist, exposing her breasts. The cool air and intensity of his hungry eyes making her nipples harden to tight peaks. She wantonly welcomed his heated gaze as he feasted the sight of her bare breasts. "You are so fucking beautiful," he murmured, pushing her back on the couch. He placed a series a feather light kisses along her neck, her collarbone, and down to the swell of her breast.

He shifted on the couch, sliding his body along hers, dragging his mouth down her torso as he kissed, licked, and sucked anything in his path. He loved how vocal she was making soft little sighs that made his cock jump in his pants. Cupping the soft flesh of her bosom, he squeezed with his hands as his thumbs circled each nipple over and over as she writhed beneath him. He lowered his head and ran his tongue along the valley between her breasts. Capturing her stuff bud between his teeth, he bit down and sucked gently, pulling it into his mouth. She gasped a higher-pitched moan than before, her back painfully arched and her fingers buried deep in his curls, holding his mouth where she needed him.

Although his movements were hurried, they weren't thoughtless. He memorized every inch of exposed skin; familiarized himself with the curves and hollows of her body; and catalogued each moan, gasp, sigh, and giggle of pleasure that he drew from her for future use. He broke his latch on her breast and took a minute to look at her. She was absolute perfection stretched out beneath him and he wanted to enjoy her with all of his senses - the sight of her glowing eyes and flushed skin, the subtle scent of perfume on her skin, the sound of her soft mewling when he discovered her sweetest spots, the taste of her mouth, and the feel of her body as it melded into his.

Olivia gently pushed him off her and moved from beneath him. For a panicked moment, Fitz worried she would run, but was reassured when she stood in front of him allowing her Versace gown to fall to the floor. She stepped out of her dress, wearing only a tiny, white scrap of fabric and her heels. His eyes traveled slowly from her eyes to her lips, to her breast, to the soaked material at the apex of her thighs. There was no mistaking the lust in his brazen stare.

"You are beautiful," he whispered in his deep baritone voice, sending chills along her spine.

"You keep saying that," she replied coyly, walking backwards slowly until she bumped into the edge of the bed. Without taking her eyes off him, she crawled backward onto the bed, pausing briefly to remove her shoes. A wicked grin crossed Olivia's face as she beckoned him seductively to join her.

"It's true. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he said, walking towards her. She threw her head back in laughter. Fitz wasted no time pouncing on her and taking advantage of her exposed neck, his mouth attached to her pulse point, kissing, smoothing, and sucking on her smooth skin. He stretched his body over hers and she raked her fingers down his back, the material of his shirt bunching under her touch, urging him to continue.

"Aren't you a little overdressed?" she asked, wrapping her leg around his, flipping him onto his back with a sudden surge of her hips. She sat straddling him, her core hovering above his crotch.

Fitz chuckled, waiting for her next move. "I was so distracted by you that I hadn't even noticed."

Olivia held his gaze as her nimble fingers made quick work of his bowtie and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his tuxedo shirt. She caressed the exposed skin of his neck and kissed his pulse point, feeling his rapid heartbeat flutter beneath her lips. She licked the length of his jawline and then trailed kisses up his jaw, headed for his ear, before sucking his earlobe into her mouth and tugging roughly with her teeth. His breath exploded in a gasp against her ear and his hips jerked, driving him against her core. Olivia giggled lightly. Fitzgerald Grant found pleasure in pain. Her body instinctively ground against him as she used him to create the friction she needed, muttering a series of unintelligible words. He grabbed her hips and stilled her movements. "Not like this," he whispered. "I want to give you your first orgasm. I want to watch your beautiful face twisted in pleasure when you come apart with my tongue between your legs." Olivia's eyes grew wide and her entire body shuddered at the thought.

She nodded and slowly lifted off him, her fingers slowly continued their mission as she alternated between unbuttoning his shirt and pressing kisses to the newly exposed skin. She licked her lips as she pushed his shirt open, unveiling the well-defined planes of his chest visible beneath a light cover of curly brown hair. She used her fingers to explore his bare torso, the breadth of his wide shoulders, the definition of his chest, the six-pack of his abs, and the sexy narrowing of his taut waist. Curious, she leaned forward and captured his nipple between her teeth, applying a little pressure. He slid his hands into her hair and groaned softly. She smiled, pleased by his reaction, and she licked and sucked his nipple. He moaned again pressing her head to his chest. He was as sensitive there as she was.

She pushed her body down his, feeling his erection once again pressing into her stomach. It had to be painful for him at this point, but he wasn't showing any signs of urgency to be inside her. He wanted her, yes that was obvious, but he was in no rush to have her. She dragged her lips and scraped her teeth across and down his torso, watching his face as he gave into his pleasure. She took her time, using her tongue to trace the definition between his ab muscles. She loved how his muscles flexed under her touch as he strained to maintain control. Continuing her journey down his body, her fingers blindly unbuttoned his pants and slowly pulled down his zipper down inch by torturous inch as she tickled his belly button with her tongue. She hummed with satisfaction when she heard him suck in a huge gasp of air when she grazed his covered crotch with her teeth, releasing a breath of warm air.

He released a raw, animalistic growl as he flipped her onto her back, settling between her legs. "Clothes. Off. Now," she barked.

He chuckled, pushing himself off her and off the bed. "Are you always this bossy?" he asked as he toed off his shoes before stripping off his shirts and pants.

"Fuck," she muttered under her breath when she saw the way his erection tented his boxer briefs. Her body trembled with greed as she took in his size. Moaning, she reached out to cup his erection in her hand. "You're still wearing too.." she said, her last replaced with a gasp as he bent over and sucked her nipple into his mouth.

Knowing they would never have another night of firsts, Fitz took his time. He slowly touched and tasted every inch of her body, awakened areas that had never responded to another man's touch. He kept his eyes open, committing to memory every touch that heated her glistening skin, every gasp that parted her plump lips, and every movement that lifted her slim hips. He allowed himself a final moment to look at her body spread out before him, her caramel skin a rich, vibrant contrast to the white sheets. She was breathtaking, so consumed by her desire that she was stripped of any sexual inhibitions. His eyes fell to the engagement ring on her left hand and he was filled with hope. Olivia wasn't his, not yet, but in this moment it felt like a real possibility.

Through half-closed eyes, she watched him watching her. His lip twitched as if he wanted to say something, but he remained silent. Emboldened by the hunger that flared in his eyes, she challenged him. "Say it. Whatever it is you're thinking, say it. I'm in no position to judge," she said, rubbing her leg against his throbbing member.

"I was thinking about how I pictured you just like this when Esmeralda showed us to our room that first night. You're even sexier than I imagined," he said, lightly running his hands up and down her torso and legs.

Olivia shifted on the bed, a needy, tantalizing squirm. "You fantasized about me? Like this?" she asked, her voice so silky, she practically purred.

"Well, almost." She looked at him curiously, asking an unvoiced question. "You were restrained," he confessed, his handsome face flushing a little.

She turned her head to look at the two posts at the corners of the bed near her head before boldly returning her gaze to him. "Do you want to tie me up now?" she asked without a hint of hesitation in her words or shadow of doubt on her face.

Fitz nearly choked with surprise. The sexy little vixen in front of him was full of surprises. "Maybe next time," he said with a wink. "I don't think either of us has the patience for that right now," he said, dragging his finger along the soaked material covering her slit. Olivia released a strangled cry as her legs fell apart, wanting more, offering more.

Unable to wait another second, he fell between her legs, his face disappearing between her thighs. He placed an open-mouth kiss against her core, licking the length of her slit before sucking the moisture from the fabric. The combination of his warm breath and the pressure from his stiff tongue drove her wild, her hips tilting upwards trying to direct his attention. He chuckled at her impatience, sending vibrations through her center.

Olivia was drunk with lust. She needed him now.

"Fitz, please," she whined, "take them off."

"What, these?" he asked innocently, propping himself up on one arm so he could see her face as he ran his fingers along the edge of her thong. He dipped his fingers under the thin material finding her soft folds. He slid a finger along her slit before pressing first one, then two fingers inside her. "So fucking wet," he growled. "You've been thinking about us like this all day, haven't you?"

"All weekend," she panted, arching into his hand, pressing hard against him. Surprised by her words, he nearly came in his pants right there. Gathering himself, he rubbed his thumb along her clit, slowly pumping into her with his fingers. Her eyes rolled back pleasure when he added a third finger. Her channel was hot and wet, oh so wet for him, her walls tightening around and gripping his fingers as he moved in and out of her. If she felt this amazing on his fingers, he couldn't imagine how she'd feel wrapped around his cock.

"You like that?"

"Yes," she hissed, her body moving wildly against his hand, increasing his pace. He watched in fascination as her abdominal muscles clenched, the intensity of her building climax lifting her from the bed. "Please," she begged, clawing at the sheets. Whispering soft encouragements, he increased his speed and pressure taking her right to the edge. Then, suddenly and without warning, he stopped.

"Mother fucker," she screamed out in frustration her eyes snapping open.

"Naughty girl," he said, making a soft clicking noise with his tongue. "Not until I taste you." He lifted her hips from the bed with one arm, ripping her thong from her body with the other.

"You are a beast," she cried out.

"And you're loving every second of it," he replied as his mouth descended on her core.

She gasped his name, a tremor shooting through her body when his tongue finally made contact with her clit. He swept his tongue along her folds and plunged it deep inside her, tasting her as she flooded him. "Delicious," he murmured, lapping up her sweet nectar as it poured from her. In no rush, Fitz took his time pleasuring her, his broad tongue alternating between licking her folds, sucking her clit, and softly swirling over the sensitive nub. Her legs fell open, granting him fuller access to take possession of her. No longer able to think, only able to feel, she began to rock her hips, moving in tandem with his mouth. Fully under his command, a barrage of sensations overtook her, her body convulsing wildly as she felt the familiar heat of her climax building deep within her. "You are so fucking responsive," he moaned against her lips. "Not yet," he instructed before pulling away.

She whimpered softly at the loss of contact. Wanting to prolong her pleasure, he moved south, his tongue working between her folds. He wrapped one hand around her hip, holding her in place as he thrust his tongue into her repeatedly. Spasms wracked her tiny body as he worked her in a way no man ever had. Her legs clamped around his head as she simultaneously tried to pull him closer and push him away. He growled, latching on to her core, sucking at her lips while plunging his tongue into her, maintaining a devastating rhythm despite her erratic movements. She released a series of soft, almost feline, mewls as he flicked his tongue against her clit driving her closer and closer to orgasm.

Olivia's body shuddered and arched under his ministrations. Her fingers raked across his scalp and buried themselves in his hair, roughly tugging at his curls while she bit her lips to stifle her cry. "I want to hear you Livvie," he protested, sucking her clit into his mouth, sliding two fingers into her channel, curling them upward so he could reached the bundle of nerves tucked inside her.

"Oh. My. God," she moaned, loudly. "That feels so fucking good. Don't you even think about stopping," she cried out.

"Open your eyes. I want you looking at me when you come."

Olivia fought to open her eyes, but the pleasure he was giving her was too much. "I can't," she whined, throwing her head back in rapture.

"You can. Focus on me," he growled.

She pushed up from the bed and looked down at him, his head buried between her legs. His normally bright blue eyes were clouded with lust as he held her gaze and she had never felt more desired. She watched him as his tongue and fingers set a tireless pace pushing her closer and closer to completion. Her whole body was spamming uncontrollably, but she never broke eye contact, determined to give him what he wanted. "Come for me Livvie," he commanded, pulling her clit between her teeth. The emotional intensity and the physical sensations were too much and she screamed out his name as her orgasm slammed through her with a force that left her breathless. She collapsed on the bed, her eyes closed and her body boneless, physically overwhelmed as she rode the waves of her orgasm.

He crawled up her body, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses in his wake. "You are so beautiful when you come."

She opened her eyes and found him beaming at her smugly. "Someone's satisfied with himself."

"If you're not satisfied, I could do it again," he said, slithering back toward her core.

"No," she cried, scrambling to pull him up to her. He laughed, allowing her to pulling him to her for a kiss, letting her taste herself on his soft lips and tongue. He laid his head beside her on the pillows and watched her as she came down from her high.

As the afterglow of her orgasm began to ebb away, the reality of what she'd done, they'd done, washed over her. She felt exposed, her emotions raw, lying naked in bed beside a man that wasn't her husband. She was a terrible person, a cheater. She had betrayed the vows she'd held dear for more than a decade. Why would any man, including Fitz, want her now? Succumbing to her guilt, her eyes filled with tears and she was powerless to stop the sobs that quickly followed. Fitz reached out to comfort her, to assure her that everything was going to be okay, but she recoiled from his touch.

Moving away from her, he grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and covered her nakedness, careful not to touch her. In the back of his mind, he'd known it was possible she would react this way. It was why he didn't bury himself deep inside her the minute she achieved climax. They were moving too fast. She wasn't ready; hadn't thought through the decisions she was making. He thought he'd prepared himself for this outcome, but nothing he'd imagined compared to the sting of her rejection. When she'd surrendered herself to him, allowed him to control her pleasure, he'd experienced ecstasy unlike anything he'd ever known. How could he go back to the person he was now that he'd experienced what it felt like to belong to her?

She rolled away from him and curled into a ball under the blanket, embarrassed by her emotions, but unable to do anything about it. He eased away from her and off the bed. "Where are you going?" she asked weakly, not looking at him.

"I'm going to take a shower. Give you some space," he said. He paused to grab pajamas from the dresser, looking back at her to see if anything had changed. He struggled against his own emotions as he watched her small body become even smaller, slowly folding in on itself. As much as he longed to comfort her, he knew there was nothing he could do in this moment. His presence was the cause of her pain and the only solution was to remove himself. He entered the bathroom dejected, softly closing the door behind him.

When he exited the bathroom, he was surprised to find her standing in the middle of their bedroom. She had removed the extensions and styled her hair in a straight bob. She had scrubbed her face free of makeup and was wearing only his Yale lacrosse t-shirt. He didn't know what to make of her appearance. She looked like his Livvie, but the memory of her rejection was too fresh for him to trust it. He approached her cautiously.

She turned to him with sad eyes and a weak smile. "Hi."

"Hi," he said softly.

"I'm sorry," she said, her eyes not meeting his, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, "about before -"

"It's okay," he interrupted. "I understand."

"It wasn't you. You were perfect. I just…"

"You don't have to explain."

"But I left you…" she said shyly, her voice trailing off.

"It's okay," he said, resisting the urge to wrap her in his arms. "I took care of it," he said, with a light chuckle. "Are you okay?"

Olivia smiled, her eyes meeting his for the first time. "How many times have you asked me that today?"

"I'm sorry. Do you find it overbearing?"

"No, just the opposite. I feel safe, protected, and cared for."

He stepped forward, needing to connect with her, smoothing an errant strand. "I like your hair like this," he said, lifting her face to his. When she was able to hold his gaze, he said, "You can trust what you're feeling. You can trust me."

"I do trust you. I'm the one that's not trustworthy," she said, walking away from him.

"That's not true. I'm not some random guy. We gave into the very real feelings we have for each other."

"Is that supposed to make it better? An emotional betrayal is worse than a physical betrayal," she said, her vulnerability evident in her tone.

"Livvie," he called after her in a broken voice. When she didn't turn around he sat on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. "What can I do? What do you need?"

She wanted him to hold her, to touch her, to make her forget about everything except for him. At the same time, she hated herself for wanting, needing him. She was disgusted by her weakness and ashamed of what she'd allowed him to do to her. It was easy to rationalize that in the heat of the moment she'd been unable to stop herself, but what was her excuse for craving his affection now that she was clear-headed?

Fitz watched her from across the room and knew he was losing her. Every passing second allowed her to add another brick to her defensive wall. He had to do something to get through to her before he was trapped on the wrong side of that wall forever. Deciding to act, he quickly crossed the room and wrapped her in his strong arms, exhaling a relieved breath when she melted into his embrace. He placed a kiss to the top of her head. "Don't shut me out," he pleaded. "Not tonight. Not after what we just shared." He turned her around in his arms, pulling her close, pressing his forehead to hers, looking deeply in her eyes. "Just give me tonight. Don't make any decisions right now. Give me tonight and, if it's what you want, I'll let you go in morning. We can pretend this, us, never happened."

Olivia held his gaze for what felt like an eternity before fusing her lips to his. The kiss was hungry and needy, her tongue flirting with his mouth, demanding a response. He held her face in his hands and kissed her, pouring all of his hurt, insecurity, longing, and deep affection into that kiss. This kiss was different from the ones they'd shared earlier in the night. This kiss wasn't about desire or consumption, it was about comfort and connection. It was their hearts and bodies communicating what they wouldn't, couldn't with words.

Olivia was the first to break their kiss. "I can't," she whispered against his lips.

"I know," he said, pecking her lips softly.

"Hold me?" she asked, grabbing his hands. He nodded, allowing her to lead him to bed. He snatched back the covers and she crawled in, pulling him in behind her. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply and frowning, disappointed with himself. He'd lied to her for the first time. Despite what he said earlier, he did not intend to let her go. He would give her as much time and space as she needed to realize and accept what he already knew, but walking away from her was not an option. Not now that she was finally within reach. With that thought in mind, he wrapped her in his warm embrace and settled in behind her. There was much they needed to figure out, but nothing would be accomplished by obsessing about it tonight. Tonight, he would simply enjoy these quiet moments with her because he didn't know how long it would be before he could be with her again.

 **A/N: Well, that happened. The question now is where do they go from here. Do you agree with Olivia that her emotional connection to Fitz is a bigger betrayal than her sharing her body with him? Can she walk away from that connection without leaving him completely? Will Stephen's plans for Fitz alter their plan to "break-up" after this trip? How does Fitz navigate trying to push things forward in the context of Olivia's marriage? They have lots to figure out and only a day and a half (one chapter) before they return to Miami. As always, I'm eager to read your comments about your reaction to the chapter as well as your likes and dislikes.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Happy Scandal Thursday. For those of you still watching, I hope you enjoyed the winter finale. I'm frustrated as hell with Olivia Pope, but enjoying the show nonetheless. I haven't given up on the possibility that she'll find herself again. Once again,** **I wrote and edited this chapter on my iPad. Please excuse any typos and grammatical errors. I hope you enjoy!**

Fitz rolled over in his sleep, reaching for Olivia, frowning when all he found were empty sheets. He opened his eyes slowly, not yet ready to face what he was certain would be his reality. The sheets were cold; she'd been gone for a while. She must have panicked and ran while he was sleeping. He normally would have felt or heard her escape, but he'd slept less than two hours the night before, reading the contract and planning for Olivia's day of surprises. That, combined with the emotion from the previous night, left him dead to the world. He sat up in the bed and ran his fingers through his hair, taming his bed head and trying to prepare himself to face a world without her.

"I'm over here," a small voice called from the sofa. Fitz's head snapped in her direction, unable to mask the surprised expression on his face. "You thought I left," she said, more a question than a statement. "Thought I ran away while you were sleeping."

"I assumed you were halfway to Miami by now."

"I thought about it," she replied with a weak smile.

"Couldn't find an Uber?" he teased.

She held up her phone so he could see the screen. "There are seven within ten minutes."

"Not convinced you want to stay?"

She shook her head. "Also not convinced I want to leave. Thus, I'm sitting on the couch staring at the app."

"Did you sleep on the couch?" he asked, noting for the first time she was still wearing his t-shirt, a blanket thrown over her legs.

"I didn't sleep much," she responded in a quiet voice. "I didn't want to wake you with my tossing and turning."

"It would have been better than waking up thinking you left," he snapped.

"I'm sorry," she said, wincing slightly.

Fitz cursed himself under his breath. She was hurting and he was the one who had hurt her. Last night never should have happened. She meant something to him, something much more important than a one-night stand, but now he worried that he'd never get the opportunity to show her. He promised her their agreement was a business arrangement and he had violated that agreement. He'd been weak and selfish, driven by his need for her, and now she was paying for his actions.

"Don't apologize. I'm being an insensitive ass. I'm grumpy before my morning coffee," he said sheepishly.

"I know."

Of course, she knew _._ She knew everything about him. He'd been the center of her professional world, his mood dictating her actions for years now. Funny how the tables had turned so dramatically in just a few days. Now she was the one at the center of his world. She had him thinking about marriage and babies and waking up beside her every morning for the rest of his life. His every feeling this weekend had been controlled by the look on her face and it pained him to know the uncertainty and moral self-doubt surrounding her now was his fault.

How could he help her accept that the feelings they had for each other were real without adding to her pain? To accept that she deserved to be happy, to be loved as the woman she was and not the pliable teenage girl she used to be. She deserved someone who would put her wants and needs first. He could be that someone, if she allowed him to be, but it had to be her decision. He couldn't be the reason her marriage ended. She had to come to that conclusion on her own or their relationship wouldn't survive their first fight.

Rising from the bed and heading for the dresser, he said, "Give me five minutes and I'll be ready."

"Ready for what?" she asked, confused.

"For our run," he replied as if it was the most obvious response. "You promised me a ten-mile run this morning and, since you're still here, I plan to hold you to your word. We don't have to talk if you don't want to. Hell, I won't be able to talk after the first mile. Let's just run. It'll give you an opportunity to clear your head and figure out what you want to do. If you still want to leave when we get back, I'll call you a car and send you home on my father's plane."

"I don't run to clear my head."

"I know," he said, flashing her his crooked grin. "You swim, but I didn't think us alone with you in a bikini was a good idea." She looked at him puzzled; shocked that he knew her routine. "I've seen you in the pool at the company gym after some of our most challenging days," he said, answering her unasked question. "You have a beautiful stroke," he said before disappearing into the bathroom.

Olivia rose from the couch and walked to the dresser. She wasn't in a running mood, but, he was right, swimming wasn't a good idea given the circumstances. She needed to get out of her head and nothing worked better than pushing her body beyond its limits. Plus, the fresh ocean air and exercise endorphins would do her good. Moving quickly, she changed into a pair of grey running tights and a peach Dri-Fit t-shirt, avoiding an awkward half-naked interaction with Fitz.

Fitz emerged from the bathroom just as she was tying her shoes. He shook his head, almost chuckling aloud as he took in her outfit. She was almost completely covered in material, dressed more conservatively than she had been all weekend. She may have covered her skin, but the outfit did nothing to hide her curves. Not that it mattered. No outfit would make him forget how glorious she looked naked. He'd memorized every inch of her body from the chicken pox scar behind her right ear to the crescent birthmark on her right hip to the mole on the bottom of her left foot.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Ready," she replied.

When they got to the beach, Olivia took off running, setting a punishing eight-minute mile pace. Fitz sighed deeply, remembering why he hated running, and took off after her. He knew she would test his endurance, but he was determined to keep up, to allow her to punish him physically as she tried to outrun her guilt. She felt him settle in beside her, but she looked straight ahead, determined she wouldn't allow him to distract her.

She needed to come to some understanding of what had happened between them and why she had allowed it to happen. Fitz hadn't pushed or pressured his way into her bed; she had welcomed him there willingly. Had he caught her in a moment of weakness, the emotional highs and lows of the day making her needy for the comfort of a lover's touch? Was it the intimacy of their situation, spending four days pretending to be a couple that had weakened her resolve?

Was it more? Did this time apart from Jake allow her to question her happiness with the man she had committed herself to as a teenager? Had she been too young, too inexperienced, and too immature to understand what Jake's love demanded of her? Had she lost touch with who she was, giving away parts of herself, to please a man that was unworthy of her devotion? Was she in love with man he'd become and not the just the one that had rescued her all those years ago?

She raced ahead, determined to banish thoughts of the heat of Fitz's mouth against her skin, the intimacy of his touch, and his passionate demand for connection during her climax. Before Fitz, she'd never known intimacy could be so beautiful. He should have felt foreign; an interloper in her most private of spaces, but that wasn't the case. Being with him was a choreographed dance and they had fallen into step easily and naturally, as if they were meant to be.

Last night, she had given into his desires and, in turn, he had focused all of his attention on her pleasure. The way he manipulated her body, the way she responded to his touch frightened her. She'd never imagined someone could make her feel so adored or that she would be so desperate to forget that feeling. If Fitz's embrace was where she wanted to be, why had the night ended so terribly and why did she feel so guilty this morning?

After her Apple Watch tapped, alerting her to their fourth mile, her mind began to clear. Finally, the pain from her pace dominated her conscious, pushing away all other thoughts. She delighted in the quiet, focusing solely on her feet pounding on the sand and her breathing. Step, step, inhale. Step, step, exhale. She welcomed the ensuing release of endorphins, blocking the pain and paving the way for euphoria.

By the time they made the turn after the fifth mile, she was like a gazelle, graceful and free, her muscles pushing her forward on autopilot. With two miles to go, she sneaked a glance at Fitz. He was obviously exhausted, although he had not once complained. Their morning run was the perfect analogy for their weekend. He had allowed her to set the pace based on her needs and wants, ignoring his own needs and discomfort to please her.

Feeling bad for him, she slowed her pace to a jog. Fitz adjusted his speed, relaxing his burning muscles and cramping calves. Olivia allowed herself to look at him, and her heart dropped into her stomach. His golden tanned skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, his wet curls flopped in his face, and his clothes clung tightly to his muscular frame. _My god he is beautiful_ , she thought, _and the things he can do with his mouth_.

Fitz returned her gaze without speaking, smiling knowingly at her. How could any woman be expected to resist him, especially when he was looking at her like that. Did she even want to? Ignoring the slow heat building within her abdomen, she pressed forward. Their run was ending and he was expecting an answer. Was she staying or was she leaving? Was she going home to repair her marriage or was she staying to explore her feelings for him?

As they approached the house, Olivia continued to slow her pace until eventually they were walking. When they finally came to a stop, Fitz bent over, panting, trying to catch his breath. He looked up at her and, without a trace of condescension in his voice, asked, "Feel better?"

"Yes, thanks. The run was exactly what I needed. Wait here," she said, walking away from him. Fitz's brows furrowed in confusion. "I'm not leaving," she called over her shoulder. "I'll be right back," she said as she sprinted in the direction of the main house. Fitz groaned, collapsing into the sand wondering where she found the energy.

After a few minutes, Olivia came trotting back to the beach carrying her loot in a blanket. "Are we running away from home?" he teased.

"Shut up and hold these," she replied playfully, dumping her bounty - four bottles of water and three bananas - into his lap as she spread out the blanket on the sand. After she was settled, she invited him to join her on the blanket. "I'm ready to talk."

He downed half of the bottle of water before repositioning himself on the blanket facing her. "Why did you agree to join me this weekend?" he asked, handing her two bottles of water and a banana.

"You won't like the answer," she said, fidgeting with the top of her water bottle.

He shrugged, peeling his banana and breaking off half. "You don't have to try to please me, Liv. All I want is for you to be yourself. I just want to get to know you," he said, popping the banana in his mouth and chasing it with the other half of his water.

"I agreed to join you because I want to have a baby." Confused and alarmed, Fitz nearly choked as he sat up and turned so his whole body was facing her. Olivia couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "Not with you," she explained, still laughing. He calmed down and joined in her laughter. "I wanted to have a baby with Jake. I've wanted to start a family for years, but the timing has never been right. With the money you offered me to join you, I thought the time would finally be right."

"Are you having difficulty conceiving?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," she said, taking a swig of her water.

Fitz smiled at her and laughed softly. "Well...which is it? Yes, no or I don't know?"

"I don't know. I've never been pregnant, not even a scare, but I've also never tried to get pregnant."

"Then why did you need the money?"

"After the business went under, Jake wanted to wait until we were financially secure before trying. We're both working now, but he's still hesitant. I thought having the money would move him from not now to yes."

"Oh..." Fitz offered, not sure what else to say. Olivia wanted to start a family, with her husband. The thought of her swollen with another man's child made him crazy. Could he stand by and watch as someone else's seed grew within her? Would it be easier not to have her in his life than to watch her start a family, the family he wanted, with Jake? "For what it's worth," he said, "I think you'll be a wonderful mom."

"Thanks," she replied bashfully. "It means a lot coming from you, seeing as how I've be charged with taking care of you for the last four years," she said smiling warmly.

"How many kids do you want?"

"At least two. I am an only child and I don't want that for my children. I want them to have someone they can depend on after I'm gone."

"Livvie..." he called softly, emotion swirling in his eyes, reaching for her hand, drawing small circles on the back of her palm to soothe her. He knew this opinion was formed by her painful experience as an orphan, a loneliness that no one, not even a family of her own, would ever be able to fully erase. "Only two?" he asked.

Olivia made the mistake of looking directly into his eyes and felt herself drowning in their blue depths. She knew what he wanted her to say. He wanted her to share his vision of a family with three kids. But, did she? She knew she wanted multiple children, but Jake's hesitance to start a family had tempered her dreams. Deciding to answer honestly, she replied, "I don't have an exact plan. I just know I want more than one. I also know I'm not as young as I used to be and the thought of three kids under the age of four terrifies me," she said with a light laugh. "I don't know if there will be enough time to have more than two children."

Fitz nodded silently, leaning back on his elbows and stretching his legs out in front of him, turning his face up to the sun. "If this was just about the money, why didn't you take me up on my offer to let you keep it and go home to your husband?"

"You asked me why I agreed to join you and I told you, but that's not why I'm here." Fitz rolled his head so he was looking at her, inviting her to continue. "I'm here because you needed me. I'm always going to show up for you, unless you tell me you don't want me."

"I will always want you," he said, the longing evident in his voice. "That's not our problem," he finished softly.

"You don't think I want you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He yearned to wrap her small body in his embrace and hold her close, but they'd barely touched that morning and he didn't know how she would respond. He scooted closer to her on the blanket so their legs were touching. She didn't flinch, but she didn't move closer either. Encouraged by her neutral response, he pulled her to him. Welcoming his touch, she allowed him to support her weight while rested her head on his shoulder, facing away from him. When she was settled, he said, "I don't think you know what you want."

"I took my clothes off for you," she said without turning to face him.

"And you felt disloyal for doing so." He sighed, frustrated by the memory of her withdrawing from him, raking his hand through his hair.

Staring straight ahead, she asked, "How should I feel?" There was an odd distance in her voice that unsettled Fitz, but he remained quiet, allowing her to continue. "I'm married. I cheated on my husband after promising him he could trust me alone with you. I never thought I would be this person."

"You haven't cheated, not yet."

"You are such a man," she said, rolling her eyes. "Just because we didn't have intercourse doesn't mean I didn't cheat. I was naked in bed with you and you know what I look like when I climax. I came with your face buried between my legs, at your command, screaming your name. That's cheating."

"I may be a man, but so is your husband. Do you really think he hasn't done as much as, if not more than, we did last night with some other woman? What exactly do you think happens in hotel bars during those long business trips or drunken holiday parties? Do you really believe you're the only woman he's touched for the duration of your relationship?"

"Fuck you, Fitz. Jake is nothing like you," she snarled, pulling away from him.

Fitz resisted the urge to chase her. This weekend had been his master's course in all things Olivia Ballard and he had learned when she got angry like this she had something to hide or was hiding from something. Which was it? Did she suspect her husband had been unfaithful or was she pulling away because the callous way he'd described marital infidelities cheapened what they shared?

Seeking to reassure her that his swipe was directed at her husband and her marriage, but not at her, he replied, "Exactly, which is why I know I'm right. I know exactly how special you are and I would never take you or your love for granted. Can you say the same for him?"

Olivia hated how easily he read her, unearthing truths she intended to keep hidden. She didn't suspect her husband had been unfaithful, but she couldn't deny that she felt taken for granted, her contributions discounted and her opinions often unsolicited. However, this, whatever it was that was happening with Fitz, wasn't about her husband. It was about her. She was the one that cheated, the one that sought pleasure in another man's arms. She invited a third person into her marriage, but for what gain. She sighed deeply. "What do you want from me?" she asked, her eyes meeting his once again.

He gently cupped her face with one hand, softly stroking her cheek with his thumb and gazed into her eyes. "The question is not what I want. I think I've been clear about that. The question is what you want. The way I see it, you have four options. You want him, you want me, you want both of us or you want neither of us. I'm pretty sure it's not the last one so that only leaves you with three choices."

She pulled away from his grasp. "Are you offering to be my mistress?" she asked, partially joking, but mostly serious.

"There has to be a masculine version of that noun," he said with a snort.

"You're stalling."

"I'm not. You want to know if I would share you with him. That's a hard question to respond to because the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. I'm not in this to get laid, if I was there are much easier ways for me to do so. Moreover, the thought of another man, even your husband, touching you, pleasing you, makes me crazy. Yet, I don't want to lose you, and now that I've tasted you, I know that I can't deny you." Olivia's face flushed as the memories of the previous night once again resurfaced.

"So, the short answer is yes. If sharing you is the only way I can have you, then yes, I would share you. However, it wouldn't be easy for me because I know going into this that I want more. I want all of you and I want to give you everything. I want to give you babies, three babies, and whatever else your heart desires. More than anything, I just want to make you happy and, if sharing you is what makes you happy, then I could, I would, do it."

"Have you been with a married woman before?"

"Yes," he responded simply, deciding there was no point in sugarcoating his past. One day he would have to tell her about his history with Jake's mother and he didn't want any deception in this moment to add to her disappointment with him.

Olivia swallowed hard. She wasn't surprised. He'd been frank enough for her to know he wasn't very selective about whom he bedded, but that didn't dull the sting of knowing she was one of many. "More than once?"

"More than one woman or more than one time with the same married woman?" he asked, growing increasingly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "It doesn't matter. The answer to both questions is yes. Seth wasn't wrong when he said the man he knew didn't believe in love and commitment. In that space, married, emotionally unavailable women looking for no strings attached relationships were ideal. All they wanted from me was sex and all I needed from them was gratification. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Is that what you're offering me, no strings attached sex?"

He knew she was trying to figure out how she fit into his life, looking for reassurance that his feelings were real and she wasn't another conquest. "I'm offering you whatever you're brave enough to take."

"You think I'm a coward?"

"What other explanation is there for why you married him instead of waiting for someone better to show up. I think you convinced yourself that you were in love with him because he was available, interested, and non-threatening. You convinced yourself he was the one because you were afraid to be alone again. Therefore, you married him, completely ignoring the little voice inside your head screaming that you were making a mistake. The voice trying to convince you that you deserved better and that better was out there waiting for you."

Olivia groaned inwardly. He was doing it again, killing her softly with his precise and focused attacks on her marriage. Of course, she had doubts before she married Jake, but she'd pushed those doubts aside, convincing herself they were normal pre-wedding jitters. Now Fitz had brought them back with a vengeance. Had she made a mistake marrying Jake or was she falling for the charms of skilled seducer? "You think you're better?"

"I think I might be. For you, I'm willing to take a chance, to risk being hurt again." Her brow furrowed and she leaned away from him in shock. Did he really think she would, could, hurt him? Fitz noted her reaction, but continued without addressing it, "Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe your husband is everything you say he is. But, maybe I'm not and this, us, what we have together is special. Maybe we could both have everything we've ever dreamed of, but were too damn afraid to demand for ourselves."

"What are you afraid of?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm afraid of being vulnerable again, of getting hurt. I was devastated after Elizabeth died and I promised myself I'd never be in a position to be hurt like that again. Instead, I became a statue, unable to feel anything. I thought I had everything I needed, but you have shown me that's not the case. Now that I know you're out there, I can't just walk away from you and ignore how I feel when we're together."

"You've given me a hope that I didn't know I was longing for it. You've shown me a way to satisfy a yearning I didn't know I had. I'm afraid of opening myself up to feel all of this, offering you everything I am, and having you chose him anyway," he said, the words rushing from his mouth. His eyes gleaming with expectation, he moved closer to her, taking her face in his shaking hands. With his face inches away from hers, he asked, "So, Livvie, the choice is yours. What do you want? Are you staying or are you leaving?"

Olivia looked at him, her pupils dilated, her breath coming in short, quick gasps. How could one man be so intense? He was too much and his presence overwhelmed her. Needing to regain some perspective, Olivia slipped out of his caress and moved to rise from the blanket. Afraid that he would lose her, he grabbed her by the arm and pleaded. "Don't go." He hadn't intended to sound so needy, so desperate, but this was their last full day together. His last chance to be alone with her in the world they had created for themselves. His last chance to tell her how he felt before they had to go back to being an executive and his assistant.

Olivia shook her head, resettling on the blanket. "I'm not leaving. I just can't think when you're that close to me. This isn't a decision I can make when you're looking at me like that, like I'm your reason for being. I'm not running. I'm not going anywhere, but I need some space. There's something happening between us, but it's too much, too fast. I'm not sure I can trust what I'm feeling. If I'm going to do this, if we're going to do this, I need to be sure. I can't risk everything unless I'm sure."

"I'm sorry," he said, acknowledging how pushy he must seem to her. "I didn't mean to pressure you. I understand you need time to process everything that's happened. I'll give you all the space you need. I'll give you whatever you need, whatever you want."

He was doing it again, being all charming and irresistible. What woman wouldn't want to be with a man that promised her the world and had the wherewithal to deliver on his promises? How was she supposed to get the space she needed if he kept sucking her right back in deeper than she was before? Seriously, how was she supposed to think when she lost all reason whenever he was close? Olivia looked at her watch. "We should head back to the house. They will be looking for us, especially now that we've missed breakfast."

"Are you sure you want to stay?" he asked hesitantly. "You asked for space and the performance we're putting on in there doesn't allow for much space."

"I'm sure. The pretending is not the problem. I know you don't love me. I know we're not getting married. There's nothing confusing about that," Olivia explained, more to convince herself than to convince him.

Fitz bristled at the cavalier way Olivia dismissed the possibility of his love for her. He couldn't remember exactly when he'd stopped pretending, but everything that had transpired between them yesterday had been real. He didn't have an ulterior motive. He simply wanted to make her happy, to listen to the sound of her laughter and watch as her eyes danced with excitement. He wanted to show her she was different and to prove to her that she could trust what she was feeling. Now he worried the way their evening ended had eroded any progress they made.

Olivia watched as Fitz's mind took him somewhere far away. Judging by the vacant look on his face it wasn't his happy place. Was he already growing impatient with her indecision? How long could she reasonably expect him to wait for her? Would he be waiting alone? He had agreed to share her. Was there an implicit agreement that she would also be sharing him? Would she be able to handle images of him and other women splashed all over social media?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and focus on the task ahead. She had agreed to stay so they needed to get back in there and resume their happy couple routine. She popped up from the blanket and turned to face Fitz. "Come on old man," she said extending her hand to help him up from the blanket. "Let's get you into a cold bath so you can start the recovery process. Can you walk?" she asked innocently.

Fitz chuckled. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied quickly, too quickly.

"You pick now to start keeping secrets about what you're thinking?" she chided.

Fit chuckled again, as he accepted her hand, stood up, and gathered the blanket and their trash from the beach. "It was nothing." She looked at him frowning, making it clear that she wasn't going to move until he talked to her. "Fine," he said defeated, raking his hand through his hair. "I was just thinking about how I thought I would be the one to asking you that question this morning." The familiar burning of desire pooled in her belly as she recalled the things he'd done to her body. She looked up and her wide chocolate brown eyes clashed with his narrowed blue eyes. "Do you regret it?"

She grew quiet for a minute, obviously contemplating her response. "Regret isn't the word I would use. I gave myself to you because that was what I wanted to do. Last night was amazing, you were amazing," she said brightly. Suddenly and unexpectedly, her face turned sad, the warm smile fading from her lips. "I just wish...," she said her voice trailing off. "I just wish we had waited, that I had waited until I was sure. I should have waited until I could fully give myself to you and could receive you in return. You deserved better."

"What do you think I deserve?"

"You deserve someone who can do more than take from you. You deserve someone who can give herself to you without hesitation or reservation."

"Are you saying that's not you?"

"I'm married."

"And I'm a wealthy playboy. What does that have to do with who we are when we're together?"

"Did you really just call yourself a playboy?" she asked, her mock horror fading quickly to giggles.

"Did I lie?" he asked, laughing along with her, relieved that the mood had lightened. "Now, stop deflecting. Are you saying you're not that person? Because, if so, then that's not who I want. I agreed to give you all the space and time you need to decide what you want, but I will not allow you to define what I want. And Liv?" he asked, waiting until she had his full attention.

"Yes," she replied expectantly.

"The next time you call me an old man," he said, pausing for dramatic effect. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling as she waited for him to finish his statement. He leaned forward and, in a deep baritone, sexily threatened, "I'm going to pin you to the nearest flat surface and fuck you boneless." Olivia stood there in stunned silence, her arousal dampening her panties, as Fitz trotted off in the direction of the cottage. "Are you coming?" he called over his shoulder. Olivia released a tortured groan before moving quickly to catch up to him before he reached the main house.

When they entered the house, they found Esmeralda hovering near the patio doors, obviously waiting for their return. "Mr. Grant. Ms. Pope," she called. The couple turned to face her, both smiling warmly. "There you are. Mr. and Mrs. Merkle were a little concerned when you missed breakfast."

"We're sorry to disappoint them," Olivia started to explain. "We slept in this morning and then I dragged this one out for a ten-mile run this morning," she continued, beaming at Fitz as she talked about him. _How did she turn it on and off so easily_ , he questioned. He quickly scolded himself, refusing to give into the doubts that threatened to creep into his conscious. "The weather is so beautiful we decided to grab a light snack on the beach."

Esmeralda nodded along as Olivia spoke. When she was finished explaining, Esmeralda delivered the message she had been charged with passing along. "Mr. and Mrs. Merkle would like to invite the two of you to join them for lunch at their club. They left earlier, but will send a car to pick you up at twelve thirty."

Fitz replied, "Please communicate our acceptance to our gracious hosts. We look forward to joining them this afternoon." The young woman nodded curtly and quickly moved away from the couple. "Esmeralda," Fitz called.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Do you know if the other couples will be joining us for lunch or will it just be the four of us?"

"I don't know, sir. Do you want me to ask?"

"No need to trouble them. We will find out when we get there. I was just curious."

With that said, Esmeralda turned on her heels and headed in the direction of the kitchen. When she was out of earshot, Olivia asked, "What do you think this is about?"

Fitz headed towards their room, talking as he and Olivia walked. "After the conversation you had with Stephen last night, it's impossible to know. It could be a group social gathering with some of the weekend guests or it could just be the four of us. If it's just the four of us, there's an equally likely chance the lunch is about a future business collaboration between our companies as it is an invitation to play mixed doubles tennis."

"Why include Jean and me if it's a business lunch?"

"Stephen likes you." Olivia scrunched up her face in a frown. Fitz sighed softly. She was so adorable when she made that face that he had a hard time resisting the urge to kiss her. After three days of being openly affectionate with her, he didn't know how he was going to control himself. "Not the dirty old man kind of like," he said with a chuckle. "Although, I'm sure he's noticed that you're as close to perfect as any woman can be. Was there anything off with his behavior last night?"

"No, he was adorably awkward, not sure where to touch me. From what I can tell, he's completely devoted to Jean. His son is the one that's a fucking scumbag," she said, her small body tensing as she paused in front of their bedroom door.

Fitz placed his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them gently at first, but then deeper when he realized how tense she was. Olivia's head fell forward. "That feels so good," she moaned.

"I'm sorry," he offered, continuing his ministrations.

"For what?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"Your body is in knots because of me. I didn't mean to cause you stress. I would never set out to cause you pain."

Olivia laughed, "Yes, this is all your fault, but not the way you think." Fitz briefly halted his motions as he waited for her to continue. "My shoulders always feel like this. I blame you because of what you put me through at work, not here." She reluctantly stepped away from him, his hands falling from her shoulders as she turned to face him.

"None of this is your fault. I'm not your victim. Everything that's happened, I've let happen; some of it I've initiated. I've been a willing and eager participant. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me. You're not the bad guy," she said, stretching up on her tiptoes and kissing him softly, allowing her lips to linger. He returned her kiss, but she could tell he was holding back, being careful with her. Understanding he was trying to protect himself, she pulled away, looked at him and smiled. It was selfish of her to kiss him, but she couldn't help herself. She missed him, missed the intimacy that had become routine over the past few days.

Without a word, Olivia turned away from him and opened the door to their bedroom. He followed her inside and sat on the edge of the bed. "Do you want to shower first?"

"No, you go ahead and start your bath. I need to make a phone call," she said solemnly.

"Oh...," he said awkwardly. "Do you want me to stay? I could sit with you...while you talk to him."

"That's sweet, but this is something I need to do by myself."

"Are you going to tell him?"

Olivia smiled weakly, joining him on the bed. "I haven't decided. I'm not exactly sure what I would tell. The only thing I know for sure is telling him now, like this, would only hurt him. He'll have questions and right now I don't have any answers. I can't talk to him about this until I know what this is, until I know what I want from him." She paused, locking eyes with him, joining their hands. "And from you."

Wanting to lighten the mood, she leaned against him and sniffed at the air. "You stink," she teased. "Do you want me to draw your bath?"

"That would be nice, but, if it's all the same to you, I'll take a rain check." Olivia smiled and nodded, masking her disappointment. He bent over and kissed the top of her head. "I'll leave you to it. If you need me, I'll be in the bathroom freezing my ass off in the tub."

Thirty minutes later, Olivia startled slightly, trying, and failing, to wipe discreetly the tears from her face when Fitz emerged from the bathroom, showered and freshly shaven, his towel riding low on his hips. It would have been easy to look at his beautiful body nearly naked in front of her, but she didn't trust her body not to respond to him. The illogical attraction that leapt between them in that moment confused her. She was being eaten alive by guilt and yet she wanted him in the worst way. She had to get her feelings under control so she could make it through the end of the trip. She sighed, mixed emotions swirling through her as she looked up at him.

"Did he say something to upset you?" he asked, tension vibrating off him in waves, enveloping her, as he rummaged through the dresser looking for underwear and socks.

"No, it was just the opposite." Fitz looked at her confused. "He was incredibly sweet," she explained. "He was worried because I didn't return any of his calls or texts yesterday; allowing worst case scenarios to play over and over in his mind. He was relieved to hear my voice, to know that I'm okay, but he's ready for me to come home. Whatever history there is between the two of you makes him worry that he'll lose me. He didn't come right out and say it, but I could tell. He just needed to be reassured that I love him and I'm coming home to him." As soon as the words left her lips, she cringed at her insensitivity. "I'm sorry."

Fitz felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. It wasn't that he thought she would decide to leave her husband after one weekend with him, but listening to her talk about returning to Jake made him instantly and irrationally jealous. "Don't be. You've been honest so far. No need to start lying now. I know you're married. I know you're going home to him tomorrow. I understand what I've agreed to," he said, trying to hide the quiver of pain in his voice as he walked in the closet to get dressed.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air. Olivia couldn't remember ever having an uncomfortable moment with Fitz, but they were having one now. Needing to focus on something other than the man in front of her, she rubbed both hands across her face, she closed her eyes, and steepled her fingers over her nose and mouth. The car would be there to pick them up for lunch in little over an hour. They had to push through this awkwardness and find their way back to the people they were yesterday.

She rose from the couch and stopped in front of the closet door. "I'm going to jump in the shower and start getting ready. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No. I'm fine," he responded, without turning to look at her.

Olivia turned and trudged into the bathroom. She turned the shower on and quickly undressed. Stepping in the shower, she allowed the scalding water to ease away her tension. After several minutes, she gathered herself and began to move efficiently through her routine. After her shower, she rubbed lotion into her skin, pushing away thoughts of Fitz's much larger hands moving across her body; brushed her teeth; applied light, natural make-up to her face and a heavier concealer that Renee left her to cover the bruises on her arm; and flat-ironed her hair straight. She slipped on the robe Stacey gave her and entered the bedroom to get dressed.

She was surprised to find that Fitz wasn't there waiting for her, the only evidence of his recent presence the lingering scent of his cologne. He was avoiding her, which shouldn't bother her, but it did. She was the one that asked for space, but after days of being doted on, being the sole focus of his attention, his sudden absence left her feeling bereft. Add to that her guilt and sexual frustration, and she was an emotional powder keg ready to blow. She took a deep breath to center herself. Fitz had more riding on their performance than she did. He had no choice but to return to her physically even if he remained emotionally unavailable.

She selected a knee-length, sleeveless, lavender high-neck pencil dress and a pair of white ankle strap, block heel sandals from the closet. She accessorized her outfit with a pair of diamond studs and a diamond cuff bracelet. The look was soft and feminine, sexy without trying to be. Smoothing her hair and straightening her dress, she took one last look in the mirror, making sure everything was perfect. When she was satisfied, she exited the bedroom in search of Fitz.

He sensed her presence before he saw her, the return of the now familiar warmth that coursed through his body whenever she was near. He looked up and found her standing in the doorway, her dark, intense eyes blazing into him. She wasn't pleased and she wanted him to know it. "You left me," she said coolly.

He knew he wasn't being fair, but he couldn't help it. He was angry that it was so easy for her to reassure her husband, while she left him twisting in the wind, waiting for her to acknowledge what they both knew was true. "I didn't go far," he said, rising from the couch to greet her, his body wanting to be in her orbit even as his head knew better. "You look beautiful as usual," he continued, his mood improving the closer he got to her. He was happy to see her, despite himself. If he was smart he would push her away; end this before both of them got hurt, but being near her made him stupid.

"You don't look too bad yourself." That was an understatement. He was sexy as hell, wearing a perfectly tailored navy Armani suit. Foregoing the tie, he opted instead leaving the top three buttons of his crisp white button-down open. With his distinctive swagger and killer-sexy smile, he oozed testosterone as he stalked toward her, bending down to kiss her cheek. Her breathing went shallow and her knees went weak just looking at him. She wanted this man, so much more than she should.

He sensed her hunger and her struggle to overcome it. He ached to drag her back into the bedroom, toss her on the bed, and push the hardness of his body into the softness of hers, to experience her one time before he lost the opportunity. Nevertheless, he knew nothing good would come from giving into their desire. It was time to put their game faces on and get through this lunch. "Are you ready? The car should be here."

"Are we okay?" she asked, lacing her fingers with his.

He lifted their combined hands to his lips, kissing the back of her hand. "We're going to be fine." She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "We are. Whatever you decide, we will be fine."

Without another word, he led her down the stairs, out of the cottage, and into the waiting town car. The car ride was quiet, but comfortable, as both Fitz and Olivia immersed themselves in their own thoughts. Occasionally, one would sneak a glance at the other and smile reassuring, both working overtime to convince the other that everything really would be okay. It was a short ride from the house to the Merkles' club. When they arrived, the couple was escorted to a private room where Stephen, Jean, three Caucasian men ranging in age from about forty-five to sixty-five, and one African-American woman in her late thirties or early forties waited for them.

Stephen immediately rose from his seat to welcome the couple. "Fitz and Olivia, thanks for agreeing to join us. There were some people I wanted you both to meet last night, but the two of you disappeared before I had an opportunity to introduce you," he explained, smiling warmly and winking knowingly. Turning to face the other guests, Stephen began the introductions, "Fitz and Olivia, I'd like you to meet my executive team. You've already spoken to Jeffrey Irvin, our CFO. This is Nathan Roberts, our COO; Jackson Sullivan, our CIO; and Alexandra James, our CLO. Team, this is Fitzgerald Grant, III, COO of Grant Enterprise, and Olivia Pope, his fiancée."

Fitz and Olivia made their way around the table, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. When they came to the two empty chairs, Fitz pulled out her chair, waited until she was seated, and then lowered himself into his own chair. Once the couple was settled, the guests turned their attention back to their host.

"I wanted to bring everyone together because, for decades, Grant Enterprises and Merkle Industries have successfully collaborated on numerous projects. Our hope is that this relationship will continue well after Big Gerry's retirement. Fitz, I don't know if you plan to maintain your father's executive team or create a new team, but I wanted to introduce you to my c-suite. They are an incredible team and can be a valuable resource to you as you transition into the CEO role."

Olivia shot a curious glance in Fitz's direction and he replied with a quick squeeze to her knee. He too was perplexed and struggling to uncover the motives behind Stephen's odd behavior. Why schedule a lunch to introduce him to the Merkle Industries executive team? It was starting to feel like Stephen was grooming Fitz for a position with his company and that confused him. Did Stephen know something about his future at Grant Enterprises that he didn't know? Had the Board already made up their mind?

"So, Fitz, I understand you were an architect before you were an executive. Do you still sketch or have you hung up your pencil?" Nathan asked.

Fitz chuckled softly. "Very little is hand sketched these days. Computers do most of the work. In fact," he said, looking at Olivia, "the last thing I hand sketched is her engagement ring." Olivia turned to him, her eyes searching his to determine if he was telling the truth. All she found was sincerity and adoration as she felt her insides start to puddle with emotion. Fitz returned his attention to the group. "But, that's not the answer you were looking for. I'm not done being an architect. I have several projects on my bucket list - something big, something splashy, something meaningful, and something personal. I won't retire my pencil until these are complete."

Jean looked at Fitz, "Surely I'm not the only one that's curious. What are the four projects?"

Fitz smiled mysteriously. "They're still a work in progress, but I have somethings in mind. For something big, I'd like to design a Smithsonian or a presidential library. For something splashy, I want to break records with a new skyscraper. My original plans were New York, LA or Chicago, but now I know I want to build in Boston. I want to astound Olivia with the design and the views of her city. If I can impress her, I'm not worried about the judges and critics," he said with a shrug. "She's my biggest fan and my harshest critic. She pushes me to grow and take risks. If the splashy project come to fruition, it be because of her love and support gently pushing me to greatness.

"For something meaningful, I actually have two projects in mind. The first is a cancer hospital -"

"For my mother," Olivia whispered, her doe eyes glistening with tears.

"In memory of your mother," he confirmed, smiling warmly. He reached out for her hand, offering some small token of support. She grasped it tightly, comforted by his touch as she tried to gather her emotions. "The second project is a low-income housing development for first time buyers. This project is my baby. It will be mine cradle to grave. No developers. I have a team of realtors on alert looking for the ideal space. No subcontractors. Just a hand selected team of Grant Enterprises employees. This will be the crowning achievement of my career."

Fitz felt Olivia's hand on his knee and turned to her. She was beaming at him, her misty eyes clouded with emotion. He quickly dipped his face to hers and delivered a tender, caring kiss. He placed his hand over hers and continued. "The personal project is the home where Olivia and I will raise our family. Of all the projects that will bear my name, this will be the most important. I'm not just designing and building a home, I'm creating the space where our future will live. This space will be the physical vessel that provides the security for the love and happiness that will reside inside."

Fitz heard Olivia's breath catch in the throat and oriented to her in time to see the tears streaming down her face. She feverishly wiped her tears away, but couldn't stop a new round from falling. "Please excuse me," she said, smiling tremulously, moving quickly away from the table.

Fitz immediately rose from his seat. "I need to make sure she's okay," he explained, heading out of the room after her.

Stephen's executive team exchanged awkward glances, all trying to process what just happened with Fitz and Olivia. Jean was the first to break the silence. "The poor dear, she lost her mother to cancer when she was a teen and her father several years later. I'm sure yesterday's trip to Boston has her feeling a little raw."

Stephen wrapped her arm around his wife's chair, rubbing her back gently. "Jean is right. The young couple is processing a lot right now with the engagement and the upcoming leadership transition at a Grant Enterprises. I'm sure Olivia just needs a moment to gather herself."

"Fitz certainly appears devoted to her. Not at all what I expected given the way Big Gerry complains about his son's lack of focus. I dare say I'm impressed," Alex said.

Stephen nodded. "While we have a moment alone, what do you think? What are your honest first impressions?"

Nate was the first to answer. "Professionally, he's well regarded. The company has thrived under his leadership. He's bolder and takes bigger risks than his father and it has paid off for him. His name is attached to Grant Enterprises' biggest and splashiest projects over the past ten years. He's a hell of an architect. He's won a bunch of awards including an AIA Small Project Award and an AIA Architecture Award. The soft underbelly he described and the need to give back appear to be legit. He is a future Whitney M. Young Jr. Award winner. With the proper resources, he could be an AIA Gold Medal winner. We've never worked together though, he's always worked directly with Seth. He's a loyal guy. Do you think that will be a problem?"

"I'm not sure," Stephen replied. "Right now there seems to be some tension, possibly hostility, between Fitz and Seth. Neither one has mentioned it, but given who they are, I wouldn't be surprised if it has something to do with Olivia. She tensed up in my arms last night when she saw the two of them talking," Stephen explained. Annoyed by his casual reference to holding another woman, Jean shot her husband a scathing look, which he ignored. "Whatever it is, we may be able to exploit it for our purposes."

"Do you want me to keep an eye on Seth?"

"No need, I've made arrangements to work closely with Fitz over the next few months. Can you believe those cheap bastards at the Patterson Group were going to award the bid to a small shop in Miami just to save a few hundred thousand dollars? It took some arm-twisting, but I was able to convince them to choose Grant Enterprises by promising them the project would come in three percent under budget. We'll see what magic Fitz and Cyrus can work on their end, but we may have to take a small loss on this one."

"Stephen," Jeff groaned. "Is this kid really worth all of this? Why do you want to waste your time babysitting him on this project? We don't even know he'll be the next Grant Enterprises CEO. My sources tell me the Board is split, half of them love him and the other half is convinced he'll turn the company into Sodom and Gomorrah."

"I'm not worried about their Board," Stephen dismissed. "Keep the investors happy and the Board will be happy. Ultimately, all they care about are reputation and stock prices. The half that's worried about reputation obviously hasn't met Olivia. She will put their concerns to rest. Fitz has three major projects in the pipeline. That, combined with a strong third quarter performance, which I'm sure Cyrus will deliver, should ensure market stability."

"I hate to be Debbie Downer here, but you pay me to be a cynic," Jeff pressed on. "A couple of days with the same beautiful woman on his arm hasn't convinced me that he's changed. Alex, you're just as cynical as I am, help me out here."

"I did my due diligence as well," Alex started. "Investigating someone with his reputation, you would expect to find a rash of sexual harassment complaints, lawsuits, settlements or payoffs. I couldn't find anything. I even reached out to a couple of professional contacts in Miami. Everyone said the same thing; he's a flirt with a weakness for alcohol and beautiful women. As far as I can tell, everything is consensual and it doesn't seem to bleed over into the professional. They didn't know he was engaged and didn't know anything about Olivia. I also couldn't find a record that they filed a prenuptial agreement. It could be nothing. Do you want me to keep digging?"

"I don't think that's necessary. I'll follow up with Big Gerry in a couple of weeks and get his read on his future daughter-in-law. If there's something there, he'll tell me. He won't be able to help himself. Jackson, you've been uncharacteristically quiet. What did you find?"

"I did a quick search of his social media profiles and other public profiles. It was pretty much what you would expect. I don't think there's a stripper or an Instagram Girl in Miami that he hadn't been photographed with."

"What's an Instagram Girl?" Jeff asked.

Alex laughed. "You really are a cranky, old man. These young women post borderline pornographic pictures of themselves in various stages of undress to attract millions of followers on Instagram. They're essentially famous for being young, beautiful, and naked." Jeff and Jean rolled their eyes while Nate and Stephen chuckled.

"As I was saying," Jackson continued, "his personal profiles were fairly standard for a handsome, rich guy living and partying in Miami. That was up until nine months ago. It was as if someone flipped a switch. Good-bye strippers and IG girls. After that, he started using his social media profiles to promote Grant Enterprises and his philanthropic activities. He's not completely reformed, he still occasionally gets tagged at a club or private event, but it's all PG-13. I did find it odd that there are no photos or mention of Olivia."

"Maybe he's protecting her from his image," Nate suggested. "If she were my fiancée and I had his reputation, I wouldn't want her to be exposed to constant reminders about my past. Stephen, what do you think? Is he the one?"

"I think he's perfect."

"They're perfect," Jean corrected. "He wasn't trying to impress you or your team. He was trying to impress Olivia and it looks like he succeeded. I'm not sure who he is without her."

"I'm not sure he knows," Nate added. "Do you think they'll actually get married?"

"There are about five hundred million reasons for her to say I do," Jeff said, his voice dripping with snark. "Half of which could be hers if he doesn't make her sign a pre-nup."

Ignoring Jeff's comment, Nate changed to topic. "Seth won't like it."

Stephen offered a wry smile and retorted, "He'll learn to live with his disappointment. I have."

Meanwhile, Fitz caught up to Olivia before she could dart into the women's restroom. "Liv, wait," he called.

Olivia stopped walking, but didn't turn around while she waited for Fitz to catch up to her. He approached her cautiously, taking her arm and turning her so she was facing him. "I've upset you again," he said, stating the obvious. "Given all that you've been through last night and this morning, I should have been more thoughtful."

"I'm sorry." She sniffed and wiped away a fresh round of tears.

"Why are you apologizing?" he asked, looking perplexed.

"With everything that's happened I'm an emotional live wire. I didn't mean to ruin your lunch. I know this meeting is this reason why we're here."

"Oh, Livvie," he exclaimed, pulling her into his arms and hugging her. "You're not ruining anything. This is not my lunch; it's Stephen's. That's his team; not mine. You are my team. I feel like this whole weekend has been a pressure cooker so Stephen and Jean can see who we are. Well...this is who I am. I'm the guy that interrupts a business meeting to take care of his family." Olivia's brown eyes looked up at him wide with shock. He smiled and kissed her on her forehead. "You're my family, Liv. That doesn't have anything to do with what you decide. This is not about relationships or sex." Olivia giggled softly. "You are important to me. As important as Harrison or J.C. or anyone else I consider family."

She buried her face in his chest and hugged him tightly. Closing her eyes, she drank in his presence, letting his scent and the warmth of his body soothe her. He hugged her back, just as tight, resting his cheek against the top of her head, and held her like that for a moment. When he felt her body relax in his arms, he kissed the top of her head and released her. "Do you want to leave?"

"What? No! We're going back in there and finish this lunch. I don't know what Stephen has planned for you, but, until we know, I don't think we should risk offending him. There are only so many excuses we can make for disappearing in the middle of an event. I just need to run to the bathroom and freshen up my make-up. I'm sure I look like a raccoon."

"You look beautiful. Your make-up is perfect, not a smudge on your face or my shirt." Olivia's eyes darted to his crisp white shirt, exhaling a relieved breath when all she found were a few wrinkles. "I told you, not a single smudge," he said, smiling brightly. "The same is true for your face, but I'll wait right here for you to check."

He leaned against the wall, waiting for Olivia to finish in the bathroom. His mind drifted back to the lunch guests. They were Stephen's most trusted advisors and an interesting mix of people. Stephen and Jeff were the closest in age and rose through the ranks together with his father and Cyrus. They were frequent guests of his parents in Miami and he knew them well. He was aware of Nate by reputation, but had never met him. Before Nate was COO of Merkle Industries, he was a hot-shot project manager from an internationally known firm and also had experience as both a consultant and developer. Jackson was the youngest of the male advisors and Fitz knew that his role was a relatively new addition to the team. Grant Enterprises didn't have a CIO, but, given the role of technology in every industry, it was a position that Fitz was considering adding to his team if he was named CEO. The most intriguing member of the team was Alex. She was substantially younger than the others were, but Fitz had no doubt she had earned her seat at the table. She seemed particularly attuned to Olivia. He had witnessed their shared moment of annoyance when Stephen introduced Olivia as his fiancée, as if that defined who she was.

He was still thinking about the team when Olivia rejoined him. "What do you think of Alex?"

Olivia's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"She reminds me of you."

"Why?" she asks suspiciously. "Because we're both young, black, and female?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "Well...yes," he admitted sheepishly, "but that's not the only reason. She is Stephen's CLO, one of his closest advisors. If I'm named CEO, I want you to be one of my advisors. You're more than just my assistant; I want your official position to reflect that."

"I'm completely unqualified to be your CLO because one - I haven't taken the Bar and two - I have zero legal experience. I'm flattered, truly, but let's just slow down and focus on getting through the rest of the day. You want me in your life, personally and professionally. I want that too, but we can't get too far ahead of ourselves. Today, I'm your emotionally unstable fiancée," she said with a light laugh. "Now, let's get back in there so you can continue impressing Stephen and his C-suite."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to him. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in her scent, and kissed the top of her head. "I've missed you," he said, his voice a breathy sigh. He knew as he said the words that he was in trouble. He was falling for her too quickly, but he couldn't bring himself to care. If he was going to lose her, it wasn't going to be for lack of trying. He didn't want there to be any doubt about what she was walking away from if, and when, she left him.

Olivia lingered in his arms, allowing them to just be. When their moment was over, she turned to look up into his face. "I've missed you too." If only he knew how difficult it was for her to say no to something she wanted with more urgency with each passing minute. This, the space and uncertainty currently between them, was not how she'd envisioned their trip ending. She wanted him. She just wasn't willing to throw away more than ten years of marriage to have him, not if it was only going to be for a fleeting moment. "We will figure this out," she said, stretching up to kiss him softly on the lips. Pushing away the thoughts of things she wanted and couldn't have, she focused on the reason why they were in the Hamptons in the first place. "We should get back in there."

"Ready?"

"Ready," she confirmed, grasping his hand and allowing him to lead the way.

 **A/N: I want to wish those of you who celebrate it a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you and your loved ones are able to spend some quality time together eating, drinking, and being merry. Next up, they return to Miami and to the adventures that await them there.** **As always, I'm eager to read your comments about your reaction to the chapter as well as your likes and dislikes.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Happy New Year! I hope 2018 is treating you well. My goal was to have this chapter posted before Christmas, but I failed you miserably. I will try to do better this year. My thanks to all of you for reading and a special thanks to those that take the time to leave comments, even the one's asking where is the damn update. You guys are funny and you keep me motivated. I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Fitz and Olivia walked through the terminal holding hands, a skycap following a respectable distance behind them with their luggage. As they approached the automatic door, Fitz felt Olivia's hand slip from his grasp. _Welcome home. Goodbye Olivia Pope. Hello Mrs. Jacob Ballard_ , he thought, groaning internally.

He looked down in wonder at the tiny dynamo standing beside him. He knew he had to let her go. Let her return to her life with her husband, but how was he supposed to find the strength to walk away. Every minute he spent with her made him long for another and the thought of being away from her, even for a night, threatened to destroy him. She was perfectly imperfect. Strong yet broken, principled yet messy, gorgeous yet grounded. Somehow, this amazing woman could look past all his flaws and see him. Despite everything she knew to be true, she still believed in him, still wanted him. How could he not fall for a woman like that?

The couple continued forward, bracing themselves for the Miami heat and humidity that waited for them on the other side of the glass. The automatic doors parted, revealing Brian polishing the hood of a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 parked, presumably, behind Fitz's Range Rover. "Did you scratch her?" Fitz asked, his voice full of concern, as he rushed from Olivia's side toward the car.

"No, sir. I was just making sure she was perfect for you. It's been a while since she's been out of the garage."

"Did you open her up on the highway?"

"No, sir. I'm a professional. I can't afford to lose my license over a reckless driving ticket. I held her to five over the entire drive. I trust you'll have more fun with her," he said with a wide grin, handing over the keys before moving to help the skycap load the luggage in the back of the Range Rover. Fitz's eyes danced as he thought about being on the open road in the fast car with good music blaring at him through the speakers. The only thing that would be better was Olivia in the passenger seat beside him, but he knew that wasn't an option. He also knew he couldn't handle a prolonged goodbye. It's why he asked Brian to meet him here with both vehicles. Their time together would end here, in a nice, safe public place. Afterward, Fitz would drive himself to the office while Brian took Olivia home.

"You boys and your toys," Olivia said, walking up to Fitz. "She's beautiful, but I get the feeling she's not here for me." She couldn't possibly tell him that the voice in her head was screaming for her to get in the car with him. Pleading for her to choose him and allow them to figure out what came next together. Despite her best efforts to convince herself otherwise, she believed him when he said she was different and described how special they could be together. Most importantly in this moment, she believed that if she asked him to drop everything right now and run away with her, he would do so without a moment's hesitation.

Olivia scolded herself. She was being irrational and irresponsible. How would she explain to Jake that she was leaving him for a man she'd only really known for a week? So what if they'd been the best seven days of her life. Didn't she felt the same way when she met Jake? Now, here she was fourteen years later, questioning her feelings for both men and wondering if she made the wrong decision that fateful night in Boston. It was all too confusing and she was already confused enough. The best thing for her, for both of them, would be for her to walk away before everyone got hurt.

Fitz watched Olivia closely, trying to decipher what she was feeling. She looked torn; like there was something she wanted to say but was hesitating. Or did she? Was he projecting his feelings onto her because he wanted this to be as hard for her as it was for him? He opened his arms and she moved into them, resting her head on his chest. Standing there, holding her, he felt at home, like they were both exactly where they belonged. He was digging himself in deep, way too deep, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Not this time, beautiful," he explained, kissing her softly on the forehead. "You need to get home. I've kept you away long enough."

"I thought you only drove when you needed to get away and clear your head," she said, more a question than a statement.

He gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "It's been an amazing few days, but now we're home. I think we both could use a little space to figure out where, if anywhere, we go from here."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No, but I'm the one with everything to gain and nothing to lose," he said, smiling warmly.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered, lowering her head.

"I know," he said, resting his chin on top of her head, holding her tightly. "I'm sorry. I've put you in an impossible position."

"Don't apologize. I'm not sorry about what happened between us this weekend and I don't want you to be."

"I'm not. I just wish...," he said, his voice trailing off.

"Me too," she whispered.

Fitz pulled away from her slightly and reached into the inside pocket of his blazer, producing the antique octagonal ring box. Olivia looked up at him, her brows furrowed in confusion. "Your wedding bands," he explained.

"Oh," she replied, reaching tentatively for the small box. She released the tiny brass hook closure and stared at the two rings inside, a reminder of a life she was no longer sure she wanted. Was the transition really as simple as swapping one man's ring for the other's? Was she supposed to slide on her wedding bands and forget everything she experienced as Fitz's fiancée? Would it be as easy for her to fall back into her routine with Jake as it had been for her to pretend with Fitz?

Slowly Olivia removed the six-carat engagement ring that had graced her finger for the last five days and palmed it in her right hand. Without releasing the ring she was holding, she removed her wedding bands from the box and placed them on her left ring finger. She looked down at the rings and thought of the vows she'd sworn. She must have believed she loved Jake when she made those promises. She wished she could feel those emotions now. Something, anything, to make it easier to walk away from Fitz. She stood there, searching her memories for the moment when she decided Jake was the one. Coming up empty, she wondered if she ever made that decision or if she'd just willingly gone along with his plans for their life together. Was their life together everything she'd dreamed of or had she given up on her dreams when she married him? Sighing deeply, she placed Fitz's ring back in the box and hooked the closure.

When she was finished, he folded her tiny hand in his much larger one, forcing her to grasp the box. "Keep it," he said. "I designed it for you. It's yours."

"I can't," she replied.

"Then sell it," he said, releasing her hand. "It will help build your baby nest egg."

Fitz instantly regretted his choice of words when surprise and hurt flashed in her eyes. "I couldn't bear it." She allowed herself to look up at him, his sad eyes breaking her heart. "Keep it for me?" she asked, placing the small box back in his breast pocket, allowing her hand to linger over his heart.

He placed his hand over hers, holding it in place. "Only if you promise to come back to me to reclaim it one day."

"Fitz," she exhaled, stepping away from him.

Fitz took a step in the opposite direction, widening the gap between them. "You should go."

"I should go," she repeated, making no effort to walk away.

"Just get in the Range and ride away. Just leave and we'll pretend this weekendnever happened. Get in the vehicle, Liv," he pleaded. When she refused to move, he turned his back to her and walked toward the Aston Martin."

"Fitz, wait," she cried out.

Fitz stopped walking and paused for a second, before losing his resolve and turning to face her. Olivia rushed into his arms, her hands burying themselves in his curls, lowering his face to hers. Fitz's first instinct was to resist her, but, when she crushed her body against his, he was powerless to deny her. She kissed him hungrily, as if she couldn't get enough, and he matched her fervor. Fitz held her close, his free hand running up and down her side, grazing her breast, and devoured her mouth with his. She kissed his lips, an open kiss filled with promise, as she ran her fingers down over his chest, his stomach and curled them around his back, drawing herself closer to him. She moaned wantonly when he slipped his tongue in her mouth, seeking out her tongue as the kiss grew needier. She clung to him, letting his kiss, his touch; distract her from the reality that awaited both of them. Too soon for either of their liking, Fitz slowly withdrew from the kiss. Olivia allowed her head to drop to his chest. She closed her eyes, reveling in his closeness, his scent, his adoration.

Fitz was the first to speak. "You have to walk away, Livvie. I can't leave you, but I know I can't take you with me. You have to leave me, please," he pleaded.

"I can't leave you," she offered, her voice cracking with despair.

"You have to. For us. If you don't leave now then we will never make it," he explained. "You can't make this decision now, not like this. You will always wonder if I took advantage of you, preyed on you when you were vulnerable, and eventually I will start to believe I did. We will grow to resent each other and that resentment will destroy both of us. Walk away, Liv. Walk away now so that you can come back to me later, when you're sure. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you're ready, but right now I need you to go home."

Olivia fought back tears. She wrapped her arms around Fitz's neck and pulled him close for one last soft and lingering kiss. Without a word, she slowly turned her back to him and walked toward the Range Rover. When she was within a few steps of the vehicle, Brian opened the door and helped her into the SUV. Fitz watched her until he was certain she was safely in the car, before lowering himself into the Aston Martin and speeding off without looking back. As he drove away, he felt a searing pain explode in his chest. How could he be so broken-hearted over a woman that was never his?

Olivia's eyes watered as she watched Fitz drive away, but she willed herself not to cry. Her insides throbbed in pain, but she refused to let a tear fall. Not today. Crying wouldn't change her situation. It wouldn't make her any less married or the path forward any more apparent. The short-term decision had been made; she was going home, to her husband. The long-term plan was yet to be determined.

Would what happened between her and Fitz in the Hamptons stay in the Hamptons or would it follow them back to Miami? Would it be awkward and uncomfortable when they both arrived at work in the morning or would they maintain the connection they developed over the past week? Would she tell Jake what happened? If so, would that be the end of her marriage or would she fight to save it? Is that what she wanted, to save her marriage, or did she want out, out of her marriage and out of the person she'd become as Jake's wife?

Right now, she needed to focus on getting through these next set of firsts. Her first night back at home with her husband, the guilt about her feelings for Fitz weighing heavy on her. And, her first day back in the office with Fitz, their intimate secret lingering between them. These first interactions would be the hardest. After that, she would know what to expect from herself, and from them, and could adjust accordingly. She just needed to get through tonight and tomorrow. She could do that. Right?

Brian made eye contact with Olivia in the rear view mirror. "Where to Mrs. Ballard?"

"Please, call me Olivia, especially after what you just witnessed." She hung her head, embarrassed by what he must have thought about her, a married woman, carrying on in public with another man, her boss no less.

"Mr. Grant wouldn't -"

Olivia looked up and interrupted. "Trust me," she said, shaking her head, "Fitz doesn't want you to call me Mrs. Ballard. In fact, I'm surprised he allows you to call him Mr. Grant."

"Ma'am -"

Olivia looked at him sternly. "Brian, you're not listening. It's just plain Olivia or Liv if you're feeling bold. Not Mrs. Ballard. Not ma'am."

Under different circumstances, Brian would have insisted on the formality, but she was already so sad. He didn't want to compound that by making her angry as well. "OK, Olivia," he said with a wide grin. "Where can I take you?"

"Just home, please. Thank you." Olivia settled into the plush leather seat, allowing her head to fall back on the headrest. "You must be an expert at this drive of shame."

"Excuse me? I'm not sure I follow you."

"This," she gestured between them, "us in this awkward moment with you having to drive me home after I've been dismissed by Fitz."

"Is that what you think just happened, because that's not what I saw?"

Curious, Olivia asked, "Haven't you witnessed what just transpired between Fitz and I a hundred times?"

Brian laughed. "I had to sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of the terms and conditions of my employment so I can't tell you what I've witnessed, but I can talk about what I haven't witnessed. I've never seen Mr. Grant treat a woman the ways he treats you."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure you've seen it before. He has this attitude. It's hard to explain. It's like he's Fitzgerald Grant. You know, rich, successful, handsome, I imagine good in bed -"

"You've imagined Fitz in bed?" Olivia interrupted, a bit shocked that he, presumably a heterosexual male, would admit thinking about his boss that way.

He shrugged. "You haven't?" he asked casually. Olivia's cheeks flushed with heat and her eyes dropped to the floor. It wasn't until she reacted that Brian realized how what he said could be interpreted. "Not now," he said, embarrassed and scrambling to explain. "Before, when you were just his assistant."

Olivia gave him a wry laugh. "You say that like there's an after. I'm still _just_ his assistant."

"That's what I was trying to explain before I put my size tens in my mouth. Mr. Grant doesn't do a lot of changing or accommodating. However, with you he's different. It's like you're Olivia Ballard -"

"Pope," she interrupted again. Brian looked at her in the rear view mirror, his brows furrowed in confusion. "When we're together he calls me Olivia Pope. It's my middle name," she explained.

He nodded, acknowledging what she said and didn't say. "With you, he's the one making the adjustments to try and measure up to your expectations. He didn't dismiss you. He left you in the care of his second most valuable employee," he said, winking at her in the mirror, "to make sure you have everything you need before delivering you home safely. Dismissing you would have been instructing me to drive away before your Uber arrived."

Olivia was astounded. "He wouldn't, would he? Has he?" she asked, growing more incredulous with each word.

Brian flashed her a schoolboy grin. "I signed an NDA. I can't talk about it if he did." She laughed a lighthearted, melodic tone that made him laugh along with her. There was something special about Olivia. He just hoped his boss recognized it.

They spent the rest of the drive to the house with Olivia peppering Brian with questions about his adventures working for Fitz. Some questions he answered, the others he claimed he couldn't because of the NDA, each time making Olivia cackle in delight. All in all, it was a jovial conversation and exactly what Olivia needed to take her mind off of her sad and painful goodbye with Fitz.

When they arrived at her house, Brian parked the Range Rover in the Ballard's driveway. Olivia waited while he got out of the car and came around to open her door. "Do you have your keys?" he asked, causing her to search through purse. When she located her keys, he instructed, "You go ahead and unlock the door. I'll be right behind you with your bags. Unless, you want me to go in first and check the house."

Olivia laughed. "How very chivalrous of you, but I'll be fine. Jake's been home this entire time. I'm not worried about a break-in."

Olivia bounded up the stairs and unlocked her front door. She walked into the house and stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth hanging agape as she turned in a slow circle surveying the damage. The house was trashed, the rancid odors of sweat, spoiling food, and stale air hanging in the air. Beer bottles were scattered all over the living rooms tables and floor. Olivia groaned when she spotted a silver dollar sized stain on her rug where beer had leaked from an overturned bottle onto the floor. There was a greasy pizza box open on the couch and mountains of takeout containers piled high on the coffee table. Jake's clothes were scattered around the floor as if someone had grabbed an armful and just thrown them in the air like confetti. Olivia expected to find that Jake had reverted to his bachelor days, but this was beyond the pale.

A few minutes later, Brian joined her in the house, carrying the largest of her suitcases. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, as the breath rushed out of his lungs. He took one look at Olivia's horrified face and added, "I gather the house didn't look like this when you left. What time does your housekeeper get here?"

"You're looking at the housekeeper."

"Oh," he said, dropping her bag. "I'll help," he offered, walking over to the coffee table and picking up an armful of empties.

"Brian, please, you don't have to clean my house," Olivia protested, rushing into the kitchen and grabbing a blue recycling bag for the bottles.

He dumped the bottles in the bag and asked, "Do you want me to call Marisol?"

"Who is Marisol?"

"Mr. Grant's housekeeper. He's been with you for the past couple of days so she hasn't had much to do. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Thanks for the offer, but it's bad enough you had to see my house like this. I would be mortified for anyone else to see it. Please just bring in the rest of my luggage and you can go. Thanks!"

Brian hesitated for a moment, giving Olivia an opportunity to change her mind. When she turned her back to him and started collecting the rest of the beer bottles, he shrugged and walked out of the house. Moments later, he reappeared carrying the rest her bags. "Where's your bedroom?" Olivia looked at him stunned. He laughed. "You're beautiful, but most likely not worth the trouble. I don't think the boss would appreciate me hooking up with his girl. I just want to drop off your bags so you don't have to drag them up the stairs. You already have your hands full, no need to add to it."

Olivia smiled appreciatively. "Follow the trail of clothes and shoes," she said pointing up the stairs.

It took Brian a couple of trips to get all of Olivia's luggage up to her bedroom. When he was finished, he bid her farewell and wished her good luck. Olivia walked him to the door, thanking him for everything. After watching him drive away, she closed the door and slumped against it, sinking to the floor. She looked at the mess Jake made and laughed a dry and humorless laugh. All weekend she lived a Cinderella fantasy with Fitz in the role of Prince Charming. It seemed rather fitting that the Cinderella theme would follow her home. It was officially midnight, the magic from her fairytale weekend dissipated, leaving her in role of scullery maid. She sighed, rising to her feet and heading for the bedroom, gathering up Jake's clothes and shoes along the way. She would start cleaning there and work her way back to the living room.

Several hours later, an exhausted Olivia trudged through her bedroom and walked into her now pristine bathroom carrying a full glass of red wine in her right hand and the two-thirds full bottle in her left. She placed the bottle on the floor, sat down on the edge of the bathtub, and reached over to turn the water on. She took a long sip from her glass, rolling the wine over her tongue for several seconds before swallowing, as she patiently waited for the tub to fill. It wasn't the fine wine she'd grown accustomed to drinking over the weekend, but it was warm and soothing as it coursed through her body, promising to numb her limbs and make her mind hazy.

Discomforted by the quiet, she called out for Alexa to play Sam Smith's latest album. When ribbons of steam began to rise from the tub, she added vanilla bubble bath and lavender soaking salts into the water. Slowly, she peeled off her sweaty clothes and secured her hair in a bun atop her head. Satisfied the water was ready; she eased her feet in the tub and gingerly slipped under the water's surface. She allowed the steamy hot water to caress her tired muscles while she continued to sip from her glass.

She leaned back, resting her head against the edge of the tub and closed her eyes, a deep sigh escaping her lips. Suddenly and without warning, her mind conjured up Fitz's image, placing him in the tub with her, staring back at her with those warm blue eyes, his thin lips twisted in a crooked smile. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up in the tub, her eyes darting wildly around the room, a small part of her hoping he was really there with her.

Satisfied she was truly alone, she settled back under the water and closed her eyes. Once again, Fitz was there, but this time she was expecting him, his beautiful naked body seated at the opposite end of the tub. Eager to test the details of this fantasy, she stretched out her leg and rested her foot on the inside of his thigh. She brushed it against the long, thick member between his legs, causing it to jump. She giggled, wondering who had been kinder to Fitz, her imagination or the genetic lottery.

A curious smile crept onto her face as the wine and heat from the bath allowed her to succumb to her active imagination. She felt pressure against her arch as Fitz's firm fingers began massaging her foot. He lifted her foot out of the water and kissed the small dimple beside her ankle, then her ankle, and then the curve above it, slowly working his way along her leg.

Olivia wasn't sure when it happened, but she was pulled deeper into her fantasy by the sensation created by caressing her own breast, letting her fingertips run softly over her stiffening nipple. Her fingers became Fitz's as she brushed her thumb over her sensitive and aroused peak. Her right hand drifted lower, sliding over her quivering belly, while the left continued to massage and tease her breast.

Her legs felt apart, as she pictured Fitz where she needed him most. Her fingers continued their slow crawl south running over her mound, her body quivering in anticipation at the contact. She pressed her fingers between her folds. The slippery wetness that met her touch wasn't from the water, but her own smooth lubricant. Even imagined, Fitz strummed her body like an exotic instrument in a master's hand. She ran her index and middle fingers up and down her slit, smearing them in her wetness before she started slowly swirling them around her clit, heightening her arousal with her teasing touch. The building pressure bent her body in a graceful arch, water sloshing out of the tub, as she pleasured herself.

She was snatched back to reality, breathless and panting, by the sound of her garage door lifting. Jake was home and he would be standing in front of her in little over two minutes. She had a decision to make; she could finish herself off or wait for her husband to join in on the fun. Sinking down into the water, she closed her eyes and waited to see if Fitz would join her once again.

Fitz was on her in an instant, his body leaning over hers, his sparkling blue eyes darkened with lust. She lunged forward and kissed him roughly, biting his lower lip before pulling away. "We don't have much time," she whispered. Her fingers expertly found their way between her slick folds and she gasped as her thumb grazed her sensitive clit. Pressed for time, she rubbed tight, concentrated circles over her clit. Her body went rigid as she barreled forward toward her climax. Her fingers moved faster, feverishly rubbing her own clit until the pressure burst and she uttered Fitz's name in a soft gasp as she came.

Olivia's eyes fluttered open and Fitz disappeared just as Jake walked into the bathroom to find her recovering from her orgasm. Her was skin flushed, she was panting, and water was all over the floor. He took a long, curious glance at her and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she replied, still struggling to catch her breath. "You startled me. I didn't hear the garage door and wasn't expecting you home so soon."

He squatted beside the tub and leaned forward toward her. "I missed you pretty girl."

Olivia winced. She hated when her called her that. Sure, she thought it was cute when she was nineteen, but now she found the nickname infantilizing. Ignoring the creepy sensation that was crawling across her skin, she reached out, capturing his face in her wet hands and pulled him down for a gentle, but passionate kiss. "I can tell," she said after she separated from him, sinking back into the tub.

"How long have you been home?"

"A couple of hours," she said with a shrug.

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come home early."

"To help me clean?

"Are you mad?" he asked sheepishly.

"Are you done punishing me?" she asked pointedly.

"I'm not -". Olivia silenced him with a withering look.

Jake rose to his feet, his knees cracking under him as he stood. Loosening his tie and unbuttoning the top buttons of his dress shirt, he asked, "Do you want company?"

"No," she said a little too quickly, causing him to study her closely. "The water is getting cold," she explained. "I was just about to take a quick shower. Why don't you change into something more comfortable, go downstairs, and grab a beer? I'll be down in a minute."

Disappointed, Jake grabbed a towel from the nearby basket and held it open, waiting for her to step into it. Olivia pulled out the tub stopper, stepped out of the tub, and into his waiting embrace. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her the way he had so many other times before. His kiss was supposed to feel familiar, like coming home, but instead it felt foreign, as if she were kissing a stranger.

Jake dropped the towel to the floor, pressing Olivia's naked body against his so she could feel his erection straining against her soft curves. She couldn't help but compare his softening middle aged frame to Fitz's athletic muscular frame. He spun her around in his arms, kissing her exposed neck, his hand kneading one of her breasts. Olivia involuntarily flinched at the contact. Jake quickly spun her around to face him. "What's wrong?" he immediately asked, his voice laced with concern. "You're acting oddly. Did something happen while you were away? Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?" he asked, his voice breaking at the suggestion.

"Nothing happened. He didn't hurt me." Olivia reached out, her fingers stroking his cheek, soothing his fears away. "I guess I'm not fully adjusted to being home. I haven't been touched like that in days. It felt...I don't know...wrong somehow."

"It feels wrong to be touched by your husband?" he asked, confused, but trying not to get angry.

"No, of course not. I just need a minute to adjust," she answered calmly, softly pushing away from him. "Let's start over." Pointing to the wine glass on the floor, she said, "I have a half a bottle head start." She paused briefly to peck him on his lips. "You need to get downstairs and catch up. Will you order something for dinner while you're down there?" she asked, stepping into the shower, desperate to put a physical barrier between them.

"Sure," he replied, not completely convinced everything was fine. "Do you want Thai from that place you like?"

"Sounds good," she said, smiling brightly before walking into the spray.

Jake turned his back to her and walked into the bedroom. "Don't take too long. I've got plans for you tonight," he called over his shoulder.

When she was certain Jake wasn't returning, she rested her forehead against the cool shower tile and sighed loudly. She stood like that for a while, letting the water pound her, trying to close her mind to the thoughts of Fitz that tried to invade it. What was she going to do?

XXXXX

"Shit!" Olivia exclaimed, slamming her palms on the steering wheel of her Audi A5 Coupe. She was running late, very late. It was after nine o'clock and she was at least ten minutes away from the office. Nothing this morning had gone as planned. She was awakened before her alarm went off by her husband, his erection pressing against her back. After what she thought was a satisfying round of sex in their bed, he joined her for another round in the shower. After attending to his needs, she playfully pushed him out of the shower, convincing him they both had to get to work and there was no time for another round of sex.

Her routine disrupted, she spent the rest of her morning in a fussy snit, her mood worsened by a slight hangover from the bottle of wine she'd consumed to loosen up last night. Jake wet her hair in the shower so she had to spend precious time straightening it before styling it in a curly bob. Despite having a new wardrobe, she couldn't find anything she wanted to wear. She finally settled on a simple white, sleeveless, wide leg jumpsuit with a plunging neckline. She tried on four pair of shoes before selecting a pair of completely impractical four and a half inch gold mirror leather sandals. She kept it somewhat simple with her accessories, a gold Movado watch and a pair of gold mesh drop earrings. She carefully applied her makeup, paying a little extra attention to her eyes, but being careful not to detract from her natural beauty. An hour later than usual and ninety minutes behind schedule, she pulled of her garage and headed into the office.

Olivia pulled into the parking garage below her office building, grateful that Grant Enterprises reserved spaces for the company's senior executives and their staff. She quickly found her assigned space and speed walked into the building, pausing briefly to take note of Fitz's vacant space. Breathing a sigh of relief, she slipped into the elevator and pressed the button for the sixteenth floor, home of the C-Suite.

The elevator doors opened on the fourth floor and Olivia's good friend and Cyrus's assistant, Lauren Wellman, stepped in the car. "Well look what the cat dragged in. It's about time you joined us bitch."

Olivia smiled, pushing her sunglasses onto her head, and took an exaggerated look at her watch. "I have at least another forty-five minutes before Fitz arrives," she countered.

Her friend looked at her confused. "What are you talking about? Fitz is here."

"Fitz's here? My Fitz?" she asked, touching her chest when she asked the last question. "Are you sure?"

Lauren laughed. "I'm sure. I've seen him with my own eyes. He had an eight o'clock meeting with Cyrus and the attorneys this morning."

"Charlotte scheduled an eight o'clock meeting on his first day back in the office? He must have been livid. Was he hungover?"

"What the hell? Did Jake fuck you senseless last week? Did you not check email or talk to Fitz while you were away? He returned to the office yesterday. The meeting this morning was his idea. Charlotte said he wanted to meet as early as possible. Eight was the earliest Cyrus could do. And, no he wasn't hungover, but he did look particularly delicious."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I know, I know," Lauren prattled on, ignoring Olivia's antics. "You're married to Mr. Perfect. He completes you. He makes you want to be a better woman. To you, he's perfect and all that other romantic bullshit. That doesn't mean you're blind. Fitz is a fucking god. Charlotte certainly noticed, thirsty bitch. She's been more than eager to fill in for you. They were here late last night and in early this morning. I'm sure she's been shamelessly throwing herself at him and we both know he's not one to turn down what's been offered. I don't know what that girl wants more, your job or to be the future Mrs. Fitzgerald Grant. You better get your ass back to your desk and save him from himself."

"That's not in my job description," Olivia scoffed, trying to mask her insane and irrational jealousy at the thought of a Fitz working so closely with another woman. Why didn't he tell her he was going to the office? She would have come in as well. "Who he sleeps with is his business, although Charlotte would be foolish to believe any relationship with him would last longer than one night. My job is to make him look good while he's at work and I'm damn good at it. She needs to find another position to covet. Fitz and I are moving into the CEO's office together this spring."

"I swear you're the only woman in this building immune to his charm. It's why you're the perfect assistant for him," Lauren said as the elevator door opened. The two women stepped onto their floor and prepared to head to their respective desks. "Let's have lunch later this week so you can fill me in on all the details about how Jake spoiled you rotten last week."

Olivia looked away from Lauren, doing her best to hide her confusion and uneasiness. Jake's idea of spoiling Olivia would be to give her his credit card and send her off with her friends for a girl's day. He wouldn't know where to begin execute the weekend Fitz planned for her, but, to be fair Fitz had help. Speaking of help, she wondered whom that help was, hoping it wasn't Charlotte. The last thing she needed was a nosey millennial with something to prove sniffing around Fitz's personal life. He must have told her he needed her to cover for Olivia's vacation and she was happy to spread that seemingly innocuous information around the office. She wondered if the details of Fitz's weekend were also common knowledge among the staff. She would have to find a way to ask Lauren about it without being obvious. Lauren was incredibly perceptive and she didn't want to alert her to the change in her relationship with Fitz, especially before she decided what that change was. Right now, Olivia just needed a couple of days of "normal".

Olivia tuned back into Lauren in time to hear her say, "It must have been wonderful, you're practically glowing and you look fierce. I love your hair. You know, I would consider settling down if someone promised me vacations with shopping sprees to Prada and Jimmy Choo. You must have been a very very naughty girl," she teased.

Olivia laughed heartily. "Girl, you are crazy. Call me later, once I've had a minute to settle in, and we'll schedule something." Olivia walked away quickly, eager to reclaim her desk and her boss from Charlotte.

Fitz and Charlotte walked out of his office engrossed in conversation just as Olivia was rounding the corner headed toward her desk. He sensed her presence, a comforting warm glow that engulfed him, before he saw her. He looked up just as the most graceful and beautiful creature he had ever seen came into view. A slow smile curved his lips as everything faded away, until it was just the two of them. Just how he liked it. Olivia was a stunning vision in white. Her outfit pushing the limits of appropriate for work, as was her norm. She was always impeccably put together, but she seemed to do a little something extra today. He wondered if she had selected her outfit with his seduction in mind. If so, it was working.

"Hi," he said, opening his arms to wrap her in his embrace. Olivia subtly waved him off before he reached her. Realizing his error, Fitz immediately shoved his hands in his pockets, not trusting himself not to touch her. They had only been back in the office together minutes and he already hated this, being so close to her and having to pretend he was unaffected. How was he supposed to pretend that everything was normal when their time together had left him so deeply and profoundly changed?

Since they said goodbye at the airport, she'd been in his every thought and he had counted the hours, minutes, and seconds until he could see her again. He knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help himself. Now that he'd found something real, he had no interest in pretending. It had been a long time since he felt this way about anyone and he didn't want to waste any more time not being with her. He wanted to talk to her and really hear her when she talked back. He wanted her to tell him what she was thinking and feeling. Specifically, he wants to know if their night apart allowed the feelings of regret to creep in or if she missed him as much as he missed her.

Olivia took a moment to appreciate Fitz. Lauren was right. He looked delicious, wearing a navy Tom Ford suit, white button down shirt, and light blue and gray striped tie. His impossibly blue eyes made even bluer by his clothes. "Hi," she replied with a wicked grin. "How was your meeting?"

Fitz felt his body gravitating toward her without conscious thought as he closed the gap between them. "It was productive. The lawyers and I were able to convince Cyrus to make the concessions needed so Jeff and Alex will sign off on their end. I emailed you the current draft. Do you think you can have your comments ready before noon? My goal is to have our draft of the agreement ready for Alex's review this afternoon."

"I can review the agreement," Charlotte injected. "I've been involved with the project from the start. It's Olivia's first day back. No need to overwhelm her as she walks through the door."

Olivia huffed, irritation rising at the younger woman's intrusion into their conversation. She wasn't about to allow Charlotte to encroach on her territory, professional or otherwise. She glared at her before speaking. "I'm already up to speed. I just need the notes from this morning's meeting and I can get those from the paralegal assigned to the agreement. Thanks for covering Fitz's office for me while I was away, but I'm back now and I've got it from here," she said, effectively dismissing her substitute.

Fitz smirked, amused by Olivia's feisty attitude. He'd seen her handle an ambitious pool assistant before, but there was something sexy about the possessive streak she'd just displayed. Charlotte's flirting wasn't lost on Fitz. Instead of acknowledging it, he opted to ignore it, knowing that Olivia would be back at her desk soon and the young woman would be reassigned. He wonder who tipped Olivia off to Charlotte's behavior and if she had solicited the information or if it had been volunteered.

Feeling a bit guilty for enjoying the tension between the two women, Fitz jumped in to lighten the mood. "Charlotte was just about to run to the coffee shop on the corner. Can she bring you a vanilla chai latte?"

Olivia allowed herself a slight smile. He remembered her drink order. "Your treat?"

"My treat," he said, handing his credit card to Charlotte. "My way of thanking Charlotte for helping out and welcoming you back."

"It was my pleasure. I hope you will ask for me the next time Olivia's away," Charlotte said with a wink and a smile before heading in the direction of the elevators.

"I hope you will ask for me the next time Olivia is away," she repeated in a mocking voice, rolling her eyes as she watched Charlotte walk away. Fitz could suppress his laughter. Olivia was adorable when she was jealous. When Charlotte was out of sight, Fitz stepped toward Olivia, placing his hand on the small of her back, and drawing her to him. A shiver rushed through her body. "Not here," she hissed, quickly moving away from him.

"Not here or not at all?" he snapped, far more curtly than he intended.

Olivia looked at him with soft eyes. "We're at work. All eyes are on you. You can't afford even the appearance of impropriety."

"I don't care," he said, stepping closer, invading her personal space.

"But I do," she whispered, separating the two of them. "Please don't make this harder than it already is."

"Why does it feel like you're pushing me away?"

Olivia looked down at her extended arm pressing against Fitz chest and laughed. "Probably because I am."

"Liv..."

Olivia gestured for him to follow her before turning and walking to her desk. She took her usual seat and Fitz perched on the edge of her desk, waiting for her to speak. "I'm not pushing you away." Fitz looked at her with doubt in his eyes. "I'm really not," she said sincerely, resting her hand on his knee before removing it quickly. "Going home wasn't some magic pill that made me forget everything that happened between us or how you make me feel. Nevertheless, it did make all of this real. This decision is not just about the two of us. No matter what happens, someone I care about is going to get hurt. It's not fair to either of you for me to make a quick, impulsive decision, because everything that has happened between us feels destined."

"You deserve to be happy."

"But at what cost?"

"So, is this your plan? Keep me at arm's length while you go home to him every night?" he asked bitterly.

"What would you have me do? Leave? Where would I go?"

"You could -"

"Please don't say I could stay with you. We barely know each other."

"I know you," he said, his brilliant blue eyes staring at her intently.

"Just because you know how to make me come doesn't mean you know me."

"I know you," he said, punctuating each word. "You were born Olivia Carolyn Pope on January 31, 1983, in New York, New York. Your mother was an English professor at Boston College and your father was a...," his voice trailed off as he realized he didn't know how to finish that statement. Olivia looked at him with smug superiority, her point proven before he could finish his second sentence. "Your father was a lawyer and an avid Red Sox fan," he continued. It was a lucky guess based on what he knew about her, but judging by the surprised look on her face, he'd guessed correctly.

He continued. "You have your mother's looks, but you have your father's brains. Not that your mother wasn't formidable in her own right, but you see the world through your father's eyes." Olivia gasped audibly. How did he know these things about her? She hadn't gone into detail about her parent's influence on her life and, while she agreed with him, she never would have articulated that agreement aloud. Fitz grinned. He'd hit the nail on the head.

"When you were four your family moved to 350 Vermont Street, a home you still own, but won't step foot inside. You were a deliriously happy child, spoiled beyond reason, but completely deserving of your parents' adoration. A straight-A student, you attended the most rigorous private schools in Boston. Everything was picture perfect until, sadly, one day the bottom fell out. Your mom was diagnosed with cancer, changing your world forever." Fitz hated reminding Olivia of her loss, but he couldn't claim to know her without acknowledging how her life was shaped by the loss of her parents at a young age. He paused to give her a moment to collect herself. When he felt she was ready, he continued. "You were a strong, resilient child, but still a child. With all the changes at home, your grades slipped, you withdrew from your teachers and classmates, and the independent, self-sufficient woman sitting in front of me was born." Olivia looked at him through squinted eyes. How had he inferred all of that from the limited information she gave him? Was she really that easy to read?

"After your mother passed, you enrolled at Cushing Academy, where you quickly fell back into old habits. Once again, you were the star pupil, beloved by your teachers and classmates. You had a small, but loyal, group of friends, of which you were the alpha female. Determined to get into Boston College and honor you mother's legacy, you concentrated all of your energy into building the perfect college application. You joined every club and sports team that would accept you. The drama club was your favorite because of the escapism it afforded you by allowing you to become someone else for a couple of hours a week."

"Sadly, tragedy struck once again when you lost your father." Olivia's sad eyes looked everywhere, but at Fitz's compassionate gaze. She was obviously a daddy's girl and it was clear that, even after all these years, she still missed her father dearly. "This time you knew what it felt like to lose a parent and you were better prepared, but no less devastated. Once again, you withdrew from your friends, but this time you threw yourself in your studies as a distraction from your new reality."

"Made vulnerable by your grief, Winnie was able to penetrate your defenses and, for the first time since before your mother got sick, you allowed someone to take care of you." As far as Fitz could tell, Winnie was one of the only two people to make it over Olivia's walls. He wondered what it was about her and Jake that made Olivia trust them while she held the rest of the world at bay. What did he have to do to join their ranks? "She kept a watchful eye on you while you were in school and gave you a place to crash during breaks and the holidays. Without any fanfare, you quietly became the fifth member of her family."

"Around this time, puberty finally caught up with you and you were transformed. A real ugly duckling story." Astounded by his audacity, Olivia's head snapped in his direction and she glared at him. Did he really just call her an ugly duckling? Fitz laughed. "Let me finish. A real ugly duckling story, but only if you believe the duckling transformed from beautiful to breathtaking During your senior year, you experienced your first heartbreak when some young dumbass, who will never know that he made the biggest mistake of his life, convinced you he loved you as a ruse to steal your virginity. Winnie nursed you through your heartbreak and convinced you that better was out there waiting for you. Eventually, your heart mended and you went on to make bad decision after bad decision about the men in your life, present company excluded of course," he said, earning a laugh from Olivia.

"You were accepted early decision to the only college you applied to, Boston College. You graduated near, but not at, the top of your class, which suited you just fine because you didn't want to give an inspirational speech to your classmates and their proud families at graduation anyway." At this point, Fitz was just making shit up, but judging from her face and reactions, he was more right than wrong. "If you don't mind, I'm going to skip ahead to my favorite part, that fateful night during your freshman year when you met your future husband and the love of your life. Too bad it's taken you nearly a decade and a half to realize they're not the same person." Fitz's last comment earned him a menacing look from Olivia, but she didn't part her lips to protest.

"In college, you kept the winning format. You worked twice as hard as everyone else, formed a loyal and protective group of friends, and crashed with Winnie and the kids when you needed to feel at 'home'. Around this time, you also caught the travel bug big time. You travelled throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia during summers and breaks, packing more adventure into four years than most people experience in a lifetime. My guess is you applied to three law schools, including the one in Cambridge, but your boyfriend proposed so you followed him to Miami." Olivia smirked in his direction. He must have gotten something wrong. He logged that little nugget away determined to sleuth out the truth in future conversations.

"Moving to Miami was a bit of a double-edged sword for you. For the first time since you were a pre-teen, there was someone waiting for you at home. You delighted in having someone to come home to, to cook dinner for, and to cuddle with on the couch at the end of a long and difficult day. However, for the first time in your adult life, you were accountable to someone else. After almost a decade of doing what you wanted, when you wanted, you had another person to consider and this frustrated you greatly." Olivia silently recalled how difficult of a transition moving was for her. In those early days, Jake was threatened by her independence and was often needy of reassurance. Although he was older than she was, he at times felt more like an anxious, clinging child than a loving and supportive husband. "This time around, you graduated at the top of your class and had your pick of prestigious firms, but Jake, now your husband, had other plans. He had big ideas about his future, needed you to help him get started, and convinced you to defer your dreams to help him achieve his.

"It's no secret there's no love lost between your husband and I, but I will forever be in his debt." Olivia shot him a quizzical look, which caused him to laugh. "He brought you to Miami and, when his business failed, you took a job that you are completely overqualified for at Grant Enterprises, which brought you back to me. Fast forward a couple of years and you find yourself here, in this moment, trying to figure out if the man standing before you is sincere and if the life he's offering you is real." Fitz winked at her, grinning like a fool, as his ego took victory laps around the room.

He reached out and brushed her hair out of her face. "You see, Livvie, I do know you. In the six days we spent together, I learned all that and how you taste when you come. However, there's so much more to learn. I want to know everything about you, every single detail about the person you are and the person you want to be. I am going to make you happier than you ever thought possible, but I can't do that if you won't let me."

Olivia looked up at him speechless. He had a way of making her feel naked although she was fully clothed. She'd only told him a fraction of story he'd recited back to her directly. The rest of it he inferred or pieced together from the fragments she'd shared. After years of stuffing down her deepest desires, denying her true self, it was intoxicating to be seen. He was a man unlike any other and he was hers, she only had to be brave enough to allow him into her life. She had to find a way to push aside her fear of once again finding herself alone and the guilt of breaking the promises she'd made and open herself up to the possibility that Fitz could be her lover, her partner, and her best friend. Somewhere along the way, she'd convinced herself that type of love didn't exist, but it did and he was sitting in front of her, waiting for her to choose him.

Fitz watched as Olivia processed his words. It was a last chance shot, taken out of desperation, but he had been determined to break down her walls. It worked. He'd never seen her so vulnerable. He looked into her chocolate brown orbs and a sense of calm washed over him. He was no longer afraid. She was his. Maybe not today. It would take some time for her to come to terms with her feelings and the eventual dissolution of her marriage. Nevertheless, regardless of what came out of her mouth next, he knew that eventually, if he continued to show her the man that he was, the man he wanted to be for her, she would choose him.

Olivia was lost for words. There was so much she wanted to say, but she had no idea where to begin. How was she supposed to make him understand that, as much as she wanted him, she needed time? This was a small step for him, but it was a giant leap for her. Instead of being swept away by the undercurrent of emotion swirling around inside her, she focused on the tangible obstacles in front of them. "We can't do this here. Not now. Charlotte will be back soon. We'll have this conversation, soon - I promise, but right now I have a job to do. Please let me do it," she implored him. Her eyes found his and he looked so defeated that something inside her softened. Olivia stood up and looked around. Moving quickly before she lost her nerve, she positioned herself between his legs and leaned in to give him a brief, but passionate kiss. "Go, please." Acquiescing to her wishes, he pecked her quickly on the lips and pushed himself off her desk, smiling as he walked.

A few hours later, Olivia's intercom buzzed. Thinking it was Lauren calling to schedule their lunch; she held the receiver to her ear and answered. "What it do?"

It was Fitz. "Liv," he said, laughing, amused by her greeting.

"Shit...Fitz...I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else. You never use the intercom. What do you need?"

"Is Charlotte still with you?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "No, she left more than an hour ago. Is there something I can do for you?"

"Will you come to my office, please?" he asked, his tone all business.

"Yeah, sure," she said, a little wary. "I'll be right there."

She entered his office and found him leaning against the edge of his desk, his muscular arms straining against his sleeves as he folded them across his chest. There was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes, but the rest of his face was serious. "Have a seat," he said nodding toward one of the empty chairs in front of him.

Olivia eased into the chair directly in front of a Fitz and flashed him a smile that made his heart race and his stomach do flips. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. "You summoned me," she said in a sultry tone.

Fitz's mouth went dry as her brazen sexuality robbed him of his voice. He looked at her through slanted eyes. Was the little minx was flirting with him? What happened to her work boundaries she was enforcing earlier? A wide smile spread across his face. Completely forgetting why he called her into his office, he asked, "Are you hungry?"

Her eyes lit up at the innuendo and she raked a heated gaze over him. After the night and morning she'd spent with her husband, she should have been fully sated, but she wasn't. His close proximity awakened a hunger she hoped to keep restrained at work. She deliberately licked her lips and asked, "Do you want me to grab you lunch from that deli you like down the street?"

"I was thinking more like he tapas place in Coral Gables."

Olivia frowned, trying to figure out how she was going to bring his lunch back to him. "I don't think that will travel well."

Fitz chuckled. "I thought we could go together."

"Together?"

Before he could respond, there was a knock at the door. Annoyed that someone would dare interrupt them in his office, he snarled, "What do you want?" and snapped his head in the intruder's direction.

"Grant," Jake offered as greeting. "I was looking for -"

"Jake?" Olivia interrupted, surprised to see her husband standing in the entrance to Fitz's office holding a huge bouquet of flowers. What was he doing here, popping up at her office in the middle of the day? She thought she had recovered from and made up for their awkward start the previous evening. Was she wrong? Did something about her demeanor last night cause him to be suspicious enough to check-in on her today?

"Ballard," Fitz said, the sound of his voice pulling Olivia from her thoughts. She watched quietly as everything about Fitz's body language shifted. His jaw was clenched and his hands fisted, tension coming off him in waves. "Red roses, how cliché," he said, his voice dripping with snark.

"Not if they're her favorite," Jake replied smugly. Confused, Fitz's eyes searched for Olivia's eyes. She returned his gaze, silently pleading with him to let Jake win and not point out his mistake. Fitz shrugged, if Olivia didn't care that her husband brought her roses when another gesture would have been more meaningful, he wasn't going to make a big deal about it.

"They're beautiful, thank you," she said rising from her seat and taking the bouquet from Jake's arms, kissing him chastely on the lips. "What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to mask her annoyance at the unexpected visit.

"I'm taking you to lunch. While you were away, I picked up a couple of travel magazines. I thought we could flip through them while we eat and get some ideas for our trip."

Trip? Did he misread her earlier? Had Olivia made her decision? Did she pick Jake? Was she rededicating herself to her marriage starting with a second honeymoon? Is that why she didn't want to talk this morning? Was she going to tell him that she changed her mind? "Planning a vacation?" Fitz asked, fighting to keep his jealousy at bay.

Olivia turned and saw the hurt and confusion etched on Fitz's face. "Before we left for the Hamptons, Jake and I agreed to spend some of the money on a trip somewhere exotic," she explained, hoping Fitz would understand what she was saying. She made these plans with her husband before their weekend, before the incredible day they spent together, and before she asked Fitz for space to decide what she wanted. Speaking to Jake, she said, "It's my first day back in the office after a week away. I don't have time for lunch. I have work to do. I was just about to get Fitz's lunch before his afternoon meetings."

"You were about to get his lunch?" he asked incredulously. "That's the work you have to do? We're in a building full of people that work for him. Surely there's someone else that can get his food while you have lunch with your husband," he said, placing more emphasis than necessary on the word husband.

Olivia stared at Jake, no longer masking her annoyance. "This may be a building full of people that work for him, but only one of those people is responsible for getting his lunch, me. It may not be the most glamorous part of my job, but it's my job nonetheless. Thank you for the flowers," she said kissing him on his cheek, "but if you don't mind, I need to get back to work."

Fitz watched the couple, amused that Olivia was shutting her husband down. He spent a sleepless night worried that once she was back at home the guilt would return and she would be compelled to either confess or shut him out as she recommitted herself to her marriage. In this moment, neither appeared to be the case. She may be going home to Jake at night, but, at least for today, that wasn't an indication he was the man she wanted.

Undeterred by Olivia's dismissal, Jake pressed on. "You've been working around the clock for him for the past five days." Looking directly at Fitz, he said, "Please tell her you'll be okay by yourself for an hour or so while I take her to lunch."

Fitz was confounded that Jake would try to enlist his support while he tried to bully Olivia into doing what he wanted. "Olivia is an adult; she doesn't need me to tell her anything. She can make her own decisions about what she does and does not want. All she needs from me is to respect and abide by her decisions. If she wants to go to lunch with you, that's fine. If she decides to stay here and work, that's also fine."

Jake scoffed. "One weekend in a fake relationship and suddenly you're an expert, telling me what my wife needs."

Fitz laughed. "I'm no expert in relationships, but I do know how to please a woman." Your woman, he added in the voice only he could hear. "I know how to make them happy and it all starts with listening to them. Listening to what they say and what they don't say. Olivia is trying to tell you something. You should try listening to her."

Jake stood there stuttering incoherently, astounded by Fitz's audacity. Olivia glared at him, before saying, "I'm sorry for dragging you into the middle of our drama. We'll let you get back to work." She turned to face her husband, placing a hand on his chest and gently pushing him backwards, out of Fitz's office, closing the door behind her.

Fifteen minutes later, there was a soft knock at his door. What was it with all the interruptions today? He looked at his watch and frowned. It was too soon for Charlotte to be back with his lunch. "Come in," he called out gruffly, hoping to dismiss whoever it was quickly. His door opened slowly and Olivia stepped into his office. He looked at her, his brows furrowed in confusion. "I thought you went to lunch with your husband."

"I decided not to go," she said shyly. Fitz's face lit up. "Don't gloat," she warned. Fitz considered responding, but decided against it. There was no reason for him to gloat. She may have turned down Jake's offer to take her lunch, but she was still going home to him at the end of the day. As long as that was the case, there was no reason for him to celebrate.

"I'm also not going to lunch with you. I can't disappear in the middle of the day for a leisurely lunch. I have work to do. I have a hundred emails to respond to, I still need to figure out what the hell Charlotte did to your calendar, and I have to work with your father's assistant to coordinate your travel for the rest of the month with your father's to determine when the jet is available and when you have to fly commercial. That doesn't even include checking in with the project managers to get the information needed for the quarterly report."

"I get it. I get it," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "You're too busy to have lunch. Another time?" he asked, his boyish charm melting away her defenses.

She smiled warmly at him, nodded and said, "Another time." She paused briefly and then asked, "Earlier, when you summoned me, was it just to invite me to lunch or did you want something else?"

He smiled at her in return. "Have a seat," he said, gesturing to one of the chairs. When she was seated, he started talking. "I wanted to give you an update about Kevin's scholarship. I spoke with the business manager at the Grant Foundation -"

"The Grant Foundation?"

He nodded, understanding the question. "It's the charitable arm of my family's business. My grandmother started it after my grandfather made his first million. She thought it was important for the family to keep our roots in the community. It was her way of keeping us grounded, making sure we remembered to give back to those less fortunate than we were. My mother runs it now."

"Another job for your future wife?"

"Only if you want it," he said with a smirk. "Otherwise I'll hire someone else to run the Foundation."

Olivia laughed heartily, the delightful sound music to Fitz's ears. "You are one smooth son of a bitch. You have an answer for everything. One day, I'm going to catch you off guard and render you speechless."

It was Fitz's turn to laugh. If only she knew how truly in awe of her he was. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and never let go. "We digress. I wanted to let you know that I wired the funds to the Foundation yesterday. They issued a check to Boston College this morning to cover his fall tuition, fees, room, and board. They also issued a separate check to Kevin for his books and living expenses. Both checks were sent overnight and are scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning, two days before the deadline. Will you reach out to Kevin tomorrow afternoon and ensure both checks were received?"

"Of course," Olivia said softly. "You didn't have to do this, but I'm so grateful you did."

"Haven't you learned by now there's nothing I wouldn't do for you?" he asked sincerely. Olivia's eyes darted to the floor, uncomfortable with Fitz's admission. "Boston, Winnie, her family...those are your roots. I'm just helping you keep them watered. It's the reason why my grandmother created the foundation. You remind me a little of her," he said, grinning broadly. "Strong, independent, loyal; she was the smartest and most respected person in the room, our benevolent autocrat."

Olivia looked up at him, her eyes beginning to well up with tears. She parted her lips to speak, but Charlotte walked into the office with Fitz's lunch, effectively silencing her. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she offered, when she noticed the awkward tension in the room.

Olivia wiped her fingers under her eyes to catch the tears before they fell. "There's need no apologize. We were just wrapping up. I'll leave the two of you to it," she said, moving quickly to exit the room. Fitz watched as Olivia all but fled the room. He wanted to chase her, but thought better of it. They were at work and she was married, the last thing she needed was for him to make a scene, drawing unwanted attention to the romance brewing between them. He would give her space for now and check on her later. He wouldn't let her get too far away from him.

 **A/N: In the next chapter, Olivia will meet the Grants. As always, let me know what you think. What did you like or dislike – other than how long it takes me to post updates** **. What are you looking forward to happening in future chapters?**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Happy March Madness to my fellow college basketball fans! I've failed you all, I know it and I'm sorry. I have some really good reasons for being away so long, but I know you didn't click on the link to read about me. You want to read about Olitz. So, I'm going to give you that, but first a bit of a disclaimer. This chapter was really, really long. About 20K words long, which is ridiculous. So, I broke it up into two separate parts. The good news is the second half is already written and I will post it in exactly one week, but the bad news is the two sections were never intended to stand alone so there is a lot that just moves the story forward. I hope you can be patient with me and that the first installment with the promise of a quick second installment will be worth the wait.**

Olivia was sitting at her desk, enjoying her tea and the early morning quiet while she waited for Fitz to arrive. Ever since their trip, he'd been different, more focused. He reported to the office early, ready to work. Gone were the mid-morning arrivals, office showers, and hangover cures. She didn't know how he was spending his nights and she couldn't bring herself to ask. He told her he would wait for her to make her decision, but they never discussed what that meant for him. As much as it pained her to think of him with another woman, she knew it was likely some beauty was warming his sheets. Don't ask, don't tell had become their routine and she appreciated his newfound discretion.

She leaned back in her chair and wondered how she found herself her in this place. How had she gone from happily married to contemplating breaking her vows in a matter of weeks? Did she even know what a happy marriage was? Her friends and colleagues were all single. The only happily married people she knew were her parents. She thought back to when she and Jake were newlyweds planning their lives together. Were her hopes and dreams for the future ignored or had she failed to express them? Had she made choices, some of them without realizing it, that allowed contentment to overrule her passions?

Was she being unfair with this sudden yearning for and pursuit of "something more" with Fitz? How was Jake supposed to know what was going on in her mind if she didn't tell him? Fitz knew her the way he did because she had revealed so much of herself to him. Had she afforded her husband the same opportunity or had she been walled off and repressed, unconsciously hiding parts of herself from him? Was the bliss she felt when she was with Fitz unique to him or could it be found in her marriage?

Could she trust what she felt for Fitz or was he just the shiny new thing in her life? Different wasn't always better. From the surface, it looked like Fitz was the complete package, good looks, intelligence, charm, money, and sexual confidence. Nevertheless, were these the qualities of a good husband or a good fling? Was he also honest, loyal, attentive, and faithful? Olivia chuckled to herself. Three out of four ain't bad.

Olivia let out a frustrated, silent scream. She was tired of being stuck in her head and paralyzed with indecision. Tired of being torn between following the rules and allowing herself to give into her yearnings. Was having an affair the answer? It didn't seem fair to Fitz to start something with him while still holding on to Jake. If she was going to fall into whatever this was with Fitz, she needed to let go and trust him to catch her. However, it felt equally unfair to Jake to declare her marriage over and move on with Fitz without giving Jake an opportunity to satisfy her new desires. Did it even matter what was fair? How was she supposed to choose?

Olivia was mercifully pulled from her circular thoughts when her office phone rang. "Fitzgerald Grant III's office. This is Olivia," she answered.

"Hey doll. This is Big Gerry. I need to talk to - wait - what did you say your name is?"

"Olivia. Olivia Ballard, sir. I'm Fitz's executive assistant."

"Are you the same Olivia that Stephen Merkle just spent the last ten minutes raving about? The one that's supposed to be marrying my son."

"S-sir," she stammered. "I think you should talk to Fitz."

"It's a simple question. Did you or did you not spend the weekend with Fitz in New York as his fiancée? What happened to Mellie, his actual fiancée?" he asked, growing angrier with each word.

"You really need to speak with Fitz. He's not in the office, but I'll track him down and have him call you right away."

"I'll take your deflection as confirmation."

"Sir, I really think -"

"When you find my spoiled, ungrateful, self-indulgent son please let him know that his mother and I expect to see you both at seven o'clock for dinner."

"Sir, I -"

"It wasn't a request, Olivia. I'll see you at seven." With that, he hung up the phone abruptly.

Olivia panicked. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. They were so busy trying to convince everyone that Fitz checked all of the boxes to join their ranks and trying to close the Patterson Place deal that they never stopped to consider what would happen if they succeeded. With all the attention the Merkles were doling on Fitz and Olivia, they should have anticipated their engagement would come up during their next conversation with Fitz's parents. If they hadn't been so distracted by each other, they would have anticipated it and gotten in front of it instead of having it surprise them later. How many other unintended consequences would fallout from the weekend they shared and what would it cost them?

Olivia calmed down and tried to focus. She needed to talk to Fitz so they could come up with a plan. She looked at her watch. It was quarter after eight; Fitz should be on his way to the office. She called Fitz's cellphone but, after a couple of rings, she was forwarded to his voicemail. "Hey...we need to talk. It's important. Please call me when you get this. Thanks." Olivia frowned; it wasn't like Fitz not to answer when she called. She checked his calendar to make sure he didn't schedule a meeting himself after she left yesterday and found that he was free until eleven. Just in case he couldn't answer his phone, she pulled out her cellphone and sent him a quick text.

 _Olivia: Its important call me back._

She stared at her phone waiting for the three dots to appear, letting her know he was responding. After thirty seconds with no indication of a response, she texted again.

 _Olivia: Hello..._

Annoyed by his lack of response, she waited a couple of minutes and called him again. This time, when he didn't answer, she hung up without leaving a message. She waited five minutes and texted him again.

 _Olivia: Ur dad called and is demanding we come 2 dinner 2 explain ourselves. Call me._

She stared at her phone. Still nothing from Fitz. She knew his phone wasn't dead because it wasn't going straight to voicemail. His phone was working; he just wasn't calling her back. Thinking that maybe he was at the office gym, she called the building's reception desk. "Hey Morris. It's Olivia in Fitz's office."

"Hey, Olivia. What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Fitz this morning?"

"Not yet, but it's still early. Do you want me to ask him to call you when he gets here?"

"Will you please? He's not answering his phone and I need to speak with him urgently."

"Anything for you."

"Thanks, Morris. I'll talk to you later."

Olivia waited another ten minutes and called Fitz again, slamming her phone on the desk when he once again didn't answer. She sent another text message.

 _Olivia: Im starting 2 freak out. This is my job. Please call me._

Unsure what to do next, Olivia started her morning routine. She read and responded to emails; checked Fitz's voicemail and responded to the urgent calls; and started arranging for his travel at the end of the month. Feeling like she'd made decent headway into her to-do list, she looked at her watch. It was nine thirty and still no word from Fitz. Where was he and what was he doing? She called him and left him a second voicemail before firing off two quick text messages.

 _Olivia: Fitz..._

 _Olivia: Where r u?_

Quickly transitioning from being annoyed to being worried, Olivia called Brian. "Hi, Brian. It's Liv. How are you?"

Brian's face lit up with a bright smile upon hearing her voice. Olivia was quickly becoming his favorite passenger. "I'm good, Mrs. -

"Brian," she warned.

He chuckled, appropriately chastised. "I'm good Olivia. How are you? Is Mr. Grant ready for me to pick him up? Is he at your house?"

"What? No!" she exclaimed, shocked by how casually he suggested she would entertain Fitz at her house, in her bed. "I'm looking for Fitz. I need to talk him. I was hoping he was with you."

"I haven't talked to him since I dropped him off last night."

"Where did you drop him off?"

"Olivia," he hesitated. "You know I can't answer that."

"I'm not some crazy, jealous stalker. I don't care who Fitz is sleeping with. I wouldn't ask you to violate your agreement if it wasn't important. I've been trying to reach him for an hour. This is not like him. He always calls or texts me back. I need to find him before his father does."

Brian paused, thinking about what Olivia said. An hour without communication wasn't long enough to push the panic button. He knew his boss well enough to suspect he was in his bed, still drunk from the night before, his dick in the mouth of some beautiful woman. Yet, Olivia knew Fitz as well as, if not better than, he did. If she was worried, maybe there was reason to be concerned. "I dropped him off at home after work yesterday and haven't heard from him since. Do you want me to go check his condo?"

"No, Brian. Thanks for the offer. I just wanted to make sure he wasn't out last night."

"I don't know what he did last night. I just know I didn't take him anywhere."

Olivia sighed. "If he calls you, will you let me know he's okay?"

"Of course. I'm know you're worried, but I'm sure he's fine."

"I hope so. Have a good day."

"You too," he said, disconnecting the call.

Growing desperate, Olivia sent another text message

 _Olivia: Im starting 2 worry. R u OK? Just call me._

Olivia chewed nervously on her bottom lip. The only person left to call was his door attendant and she knew he'd be even more reluctant than Brian to provide any information. Moreover, if Fitz was driving himself, he wouldn't have to pass the doorman to leave the building. She was out of options. There was nothing left for her to do but wait. Fitz had a meeting in a little over an hour. He had to turn up eventually. Feeling a bit inept, she sent another text.

 _Olivia: WTF Fitz? If ur not hurt Im going 2 hurt u when I c u._

Where was he and why wasn't he returning her calls and messages? This was behavior she expected from the old Fitz, not the new Fitz. Olivia began to stew, as angry with herself as she was with Fitz. Old Fitz, new Fitz, who was she kidding, there was only one Fitz, the charming, but irresponsible manwhore she'd worked with for the past four years. She felt like a fool for beginning to fall for him. She couldn't believe she let her guard down with him, that she'd actually started to trust him, to think for a second he could be the man he described. He hadn't changed, if anything he was worse. At least before, he would answer her call or send her a message checking in. There had been radio silence this morning. Frustrated, she fired off another text.

 _Olivia: Pull ur dick out of whatever blonde bimbo ur fucking and call me back._

After twenty minutes without a response, Olivia dejectedly sent one final text.

 _Olivia: If u dont give a shit neither do I. U can explain to ur parents by ur self. Im done._

Olivia threw her phone in her purse, grabbed her wallet, and went to find Lauren to see if she wanted to walk with her to the corner deli for a bagel.

XXXXX

Fitz collapsed on the ground, covered in sweat, every muscle in his body screaming in exhaustion. He turned toward his partner, his eyes closed, a lazy smile spread upon his lips. "Thanks for the workout. I really needed that."

"Anytime," an equally exhausted voice called in response. "You know...you've been coming by a lot lately and I've been available, but that won't always be the case. We could make this a regular thing. I could reserve a time for you, that way you'd know I'm available."

"I'll think about it. My schedule is fairly erratic, especially now. It's hard to know in advance when I'll be available. Speaking of which, what time is it?"

"It's quarter after ten."

"Shit. I have to run. I have a meeting at eleven that I can't blow off." Fitz felt heavy footsteps approach him and raised his arm in the air. A strong hand grasped his and helped him to his feet. "Thanks, Matt."

"No problem. Here," he said, stepping behind Fitz, "let me help you out of this protective gear." Once Fitz was free, he shook hands with his sparring partner and moved to collect his gear. "Leave it. You're in a rush. I'll clean everything and store it until your next visit. See you tomorrow?"

Fitz laughed. "Probably not, but we'll see. I'll definitely return before the end of the week." Looking around the mat, he asked, "Have you seen my phone?"

Matt shook his head. "It must be in your locker. Let me know if you don't find it." With that, he collected Fitz's gear and headed toward the area reserved for staff.

Fitz grabbed a towel from the bin and rubbed his hair dry as he walked to the locker room. He opened his locker and checked the pockets of his sweatpants for his phone, breathing a sigh of relief when he found it. He unlocked his phone and noticed he'd missed four calls from Olivia and that she'd sent ten text messages. There was also a missed call and text message from Brian. Without checking any of the messages, he immediately called Olivia back. When she didn't answer her office phone, he called her cellphone. Again, she didn't answer, but this time he left a message. "Hey, Liv. I saw I missed your calls. Sorry, I left my phone in my locker. If you were calling to remind me about the meeting at eleven, I haven't forgotten. I'm jumping in the shower now and will be in the office in thirty minutes. I'll see you soon."

Fitz read the message from Brian checking in for the morning and responded letting him know he'd jogged to the gym and needed him to meet him outside in fifteen minutes. He tossed his phone back in his locker and gathered the things he needed for his shower.

Shortly later, he slid into the back seat of his Mercedes freshly showered, wearing sweatpants and a Yale lacrosse t-shirt . "Good morning, Brian."

"Good morning, sir. Straight to the office?" Brian questioned, taking in Fitz's casual appearance.

"Yes, we don't have enough time to stop by the condo. I have a meeting at eleven. I'll change at the office."

"Have you talked to Mrs. Ballard today?"

Brian referring to Olivia as Jake's wife jarred Fitz. "I called her, but she didn't answer. Why?"

"She called earlier -

"She called you?"

"Yes, sir. She was looking for you. I think she was worried."

Fitz removed his phone from his pocket and read Olivia's text messages, his face growing grave as her tone deteriorated with each message. "Fuck me!" he exclaimed, slamming his fist on the armrest as he read her final two message. Of all days to leave his phone in his locker, this was the worse. Of course, she assumed he was fucking someone else instead of taking her call and now didn't want anything to do with him.

"What did you tell her?"

"Nothing, sir. I can't talk to anyone about where I take you or what I witness while working for you."

"You can talk to Liv."

"With all due respect, I can't. My lawyer said that, per the agreement, the only person I can talk to about you is you mother."

"You had a lawyer review the agreement?" Fitz asked with a chuckle.

"I like my job. I plan to keep it."

"I give you permission to talk to Liv." Brian looked at Fitz uncertainly in the rearview mirror. "I'll have my attorney amend the NDA," Fitz conceded.

"Thank you."

A few minutes later, Brian pulled the car to a stop in front of the Grant Enterprises office building. Fitz hopped out of the car and jogged into the building. As he rushed past the reception desk, he offered a hurried greeting. "Good morning, Morris."

"Good morning, Mr. Grant. Olivia wants you to call her."

She'd called Morris too? Damn it. In the four years they had worked together, he could count on one hand the number of times she had to track him down. It was their agreement, she would eat, breathe, and live Fitzgerald Grant every minute of every day and he would always be available to her. It didn't matter what he was doing, when she called, he answered. It was one of her conditions for taking the job.

"I'm heading up to her now. Thanks," he said, pushing the button recalling the elevators.

When the elevator opened on his floor, Fitz moved quickly through the office area making a beeline to Olivia's desk. He approached her quietly, disappointed, but not surprised when she didn't acknowledge him. "Liv, can we talk? Please."

She looked up at him, anger marring her beautiful. "What do you need?"

"We need to talk."

"You don't have time. You're supposed to meet Neil in five minutes," she replied flatly.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Just give me five minutes, please. I can explain."

"You don't have time," she said, punctuating each word. "You can't go dressed like that," she said eyeing at his apparel with disdain, "everything you need is in your closet. Stop wasting time standing here talking to me and go prepare for your meeting."

Fitz looked around, there weren't a lot of people milling about, but they weren't alone. "Do you really want to do this here, at your desk, where everyone can hear?"

"Unless you have a work related need, we're not doing anything. You're going in your office to change and then to the executive boardroom for your meeting. I will be out here, working."

"Fine, have it your way." In a louder voice, he started explaining. "I understand why you're mad, but it's not what you think."

Olivia watched in horror as the people around them turned and looked curiously in their direction. Of course, he would pick the phrase that made her seem like the jilted lover. "Your office. Now!" she snarled quietly. Fitz turned on his heels and headed into his office with a pissed off Olivia trailing behind him.

As soon as she walked into the office, he closed the door and pulled her into his embrace. "I'm so sorry," he whispered against her head while she struggled in his arms.

Finally breaking free, she crossed the room and looked out the window. "You don't owe me an apology. You didn't do anything to me."

He stared at the back of her head frustrated by her folded arms and closed-off body language. He needed her to turn around, to indicate some willingness to listen. "I worried you. I'm sorry. I should have had my phone nearby. I should have told you I was going to the gym this morning and would be late coming into the office."

"You don't have to check-in with me. I'm not your mother and I'm definitely not your wife," she said coldly.

"Liv, Livvie...will you look at me?" Olivia stepped closer to the window, refusing to turn around. "I read your messages. You needed me. Then you felt abandoned when I didn't call you back. You needed me and I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry. I know how that must have felt."

She whipped around to face him. "You don't know anything," she spat.

"I read your messages," he said calmly. "You were panicked, then you were scared, following that you were worried for me, then you assumed the worst and were angry, and finally you abandoned me. I'm sorry for putting you through that."

Her body language softened. "You don't have time for this. You're supposed to be in a meeting and you're not even dressed."

"They will wait or start without me. Either way, I don't care. We're not leaving this office until we've addressed what happened."

"Nothing happened. Your father called, I panicked and overreacted when I couldn't get in touch with you. There's nothing to discuss."

"What did he say to you?" he asked, his voice tender and inviting. He sat down on his office couch and gestured for her to join him.

"You should change," she huffed, sitting in the matching side chair.

He immediately noted the distance she was maintaining between them, a deliberate choice not to let him too close. "I will, in a minute, but first tell me what my father said."

"He didn't say much." Fitz looked at her expectantly, his silence inviting her to continue. "I answered the phone the way I always do and he started with the same misogynist bullshit he always does, but then he asked me to repeat my name."

"That's bullshit. You've been my assistant for four years. He knows your name," he said incredulously. "Plus, you've covered his desk. Men like him don't forget women who look like you."

Olivia's cheeks flushed with heat. She would never get used to him complimenting her. "Your apple didn't fall from his tree?"

"That's another conversation for another day. Back to your story."

"Long story short, he knows we pretended to be engaged at the Merkles' and ordered us to come to dinner tonight at their home to defend ourselves."

"Your last text message said you weren't going," he said quietly.

"I was angry when I sent that message." Fitz relaxed. "But, I haven't changed my mind. This is my job, my life. I can't be caught in a pissing match between you and your father. "

Fitz leaned forward, engaging Olivia, refusing to concede defeat so easily. "I'm not going to try to convince you to join me. I'm beyond grateful for everything you've done and I wouldn't dare impose further. You've been clear since the beginning that our agreement was for one weekend only and I respect that. However, I want to point out that you are going to be the topic of conversation tonight whether you are there or not. Don't you want to be there to represent yourself?" Fitz flashed her his trademark crooked grin and Olivia felt her insides melt.

"I thought you weren't trying to convince me to go?" A grin slowly spread across her face.

Sensing an opening, Fitz moved closer to her, staring at her intently, his brillant blue eyes boldly holding her gaze. "This is the part where I'm supposed to promise you it won't happen again. But, that's absurd. It's going to happen again and again and again. No matter how badly I wish it weren't true, there are going to be times when you need me and I can't be there for you." Olivia's eyes widened in shock at his candid admission. She leaned back and crossed her arms in front of her, bracing herself for what he would say next.

"What I can promise you is that it won't be because I'm fucking someone else. It won't be because I prioritized something or someone over you. It will be because something outside of my control happened or because something innocuous turned into something sinister. I accidentally left my phone in my gym locker at the same time my father decided to bully you. I feel horrible about it, but I feel worse that you didn't trust me. That it took you less than two hours to go from annoyed to assuming I'm fucking someone else. That's on me."

"Fitz," she interrupted, "I was frustrated when I sent that text. It was inappropriate, uncalled for, and completely unprofessional. Who you sleep with and when you sleep with them is none of my business."

"But I want it to be."

"I'm -

"Don't finish that sentence."

"What do you want me to say?"

"That we're in this together."

Olivia stood up, walked back toward the window, and folded her arms, hugging herself. "Why would you believe any promise I made?"

"Liv -"

"Don't."

Fitz exhaled in frustration and dropped his face into the palm of his hand. Without saying a word, he walked over to his closet. He removed his shoes and shirt before stepping out of his sweatpants. Curious about what he was doing, Olivia turned around just in time to catch him in his boxers. "What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed," he said, surprised she would ask such an obvious question.

"While I'm in here?"

"It's nothing you haven't already seen and enjoyed." He flashed her a devilish grin, flexing his pecs and bunching his abs, enjoying the lust-filled look that crossed her face. Olivia stifled a moan, but could do nothing to prevent her nipples from stiffening and the moisture flooding her core. Damn him. "Which tie?" he asked, holding up two from which she could choose.

"The red one." Olivia stood there, quietly contemplating her next move, while he got dressed. Once he was dressed in his shirt and slacks, she stepped in front of him, flipped up his collar, and helped him knot his tie. "Thanks," he said, resting his hands on her hips, marveling how he could almost span her waist with only one of his hands. She filled up his life so completely it was easy to forget how small she actually was. "I really was at the gym."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yes," she said, leaning toward him, inhaling deeply. "You've showered." She reached up and gently stroked his cheek. "You've shaved." Looking deeply in his eyes and smiling softly, she continued. "You're sober." Her eyes darted toward his discarded clothes. "But, you weren't dressed. I believe you."

He tightened his grip on her hips, his gaze falling to her lips. "I'm sorry."

Olivia took a steadying breath. "I'm sorry, too." She slipped from his grasp and moved to his closet, removing his suit jacket from the hanger. She helped him into his jacket and came around in front of him, smoothing his lapels. "You're all set." He tangled his fingers in her hair, caressing her cheek. "You have this meeting with Neil and then the two of you have a late lunch with Michael Goodman. After that, you have a meeting with Cyrus and Patrick. Then, you're free until dinner with your parents at seven." She walked to his desk and retrieved a couple of folders, handing them to him. "Everything you'll need is in these."

He thanked her and moved toward his office door. "Fitz," Olivia called as soon as his hand touched the doorknob. He turned and faced her. "If you want, we can ride to your parents' house together."

He was unable to stop the smile spreading across his face. "I would like that very much."

"I'll meet you here at six," she said, shaking her head at his unbridled joy.

XXXXX

Olivia was sitting at her desk when she heard the sound of approaching cart wheels. She glanced at the clock on her monitor and frowned. It was too late for the lunch cart and the afternoon mail had already been delivered. Curious about what was going on, she stood up from her seat and leaned over her desk just in time to see Stacey rounding the corner pushing a rack of clothes in garment bags. Olivia shook her head, smiling. "Fitz has you making office calls now," she said, rolling her eyes in disbelief.

"When your most loyal client calls, you answer, no matter what he asks you to do. Besides, this request was relatively benign. The worst part was finding a place to park the van."

"You should have parked in his space. He never uses it. Brian drops him off at the door. Are you here to restock his closet? He's wearing his last suit today."

"Is he in there?" she asked, nodding in the direction of Fitz's office.

"He's not back from his three o'clock meeting. You can go ahead in and get started. I'll text him and let him know you're here."

Stacey took a couple steps toward the office when she heard Olivia call her name. She turned, waiting for her to finish her statement. Olivia looked at her hesitantly, uncertain how to phrase what she wanted to say. "What you saw in New York," she started. "It wasn't what it looked like. We were -"

"You don't have to explain," she said coolly. "It's none of my business. I'm just his stylist and he's just a paycheck."

"You're more than that to him and we both know it."

Stacey looked at Olivia, a twinge of sadness in her eyes. "He made his choice and he seems quite happy with it. I hope everything works out for him." With that, she turned on her heels and entered Fitz's office, pushing the rack in front of her.

Olivia flopped back into her seat. What did Stacey mean when she said Fitz made his choice? Was being with Stacey an option? He made it seem like their relationship was casual, a couple of hook ups. Was it more? As far as she knew, Fitz was back on the prowl, a different woman in his bed every night. Whom did Stacey think he chose? She reached for her phone and sent Fitz a quick text.

 _Olivia: Stacey is waitin ur office._

His response came back in seconds.

 _Fitz: K. Wrapping up. BRT._

Less than five minutes later, Fitz walked past Olivia's desk and headed into his office.

"Fitz, wait," she called.

He turned around to face her with a big smile on his face. "Yes?"

"I need to leave around four thirty to get ready for tonight. I'll meet you back here at six. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I have everything I need. I'll see you tonight," he said, his eyes falling on her lips, telegraphing his desire to kiss her good-bye.

"Are you cheating on Stacey?"

"Huh?" Fitz asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "With whom, you?"

Olivia reflexively recoiled from him. "Why would you ask that? I don't have anything to do with your relationship with her."

Fitz laughed at Olivia's reaction. "Is the thought of being with me really that terrible?"

Olivia smiled softly at him, but didn't address his question. "I thought maybe you were working with another stylist. She seemed a little off today. When I asked her about it, she gave some vague answer about you making your choice and her wishing you well."

Fitz knew exactly what Stacey was referring to and was uneasy at the thought of being the topic of their conversation. She'd worked with him for years and was always professional, but he was starting to wonder if the best course of action would be to find Olivia a new stylist. Fitz shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself. Olivia wouldn't need a stylist unless she decided she wanted to be with him and right now he found her impossible to read.

One minute she seemed open to the possibility of exploring things with him and the next she was hiding behind the veil of professionalism. The situation was further complicated because she refused to entertain him outside of work. In New York, thing were so easy. If he sensed she was angry, scared or confused, he was able to remain present while giving her the time and space she needed to get comfortable enough to open up and talk to him about it. Here, back in Miami, he was finding it much harder to communicate with her. He had taken on many of his father's day-to-day responsibilities while managing his own workload. Most of his day was scheduled and, when he was alone in his office, she had already left for the day. This pattern made it too easy for her to avoid him or shut him out and he robbed him of any recourse when she did. He knew she was struggling and he wanted to make things easier for her, but he couldn't bring himself to let her go, not when he wasn't convinced that was what she wanted. He just wished he knew what she wanted.

"I'm not cheating on Stacey," he assured her. "But I am keeping her waiting. If there's nothing else, I really should get in there." Feeling dismissed, Olivia nodded silently and turned her attention back to her monitor.

She spent the next ten minutes quietly completing her remaining tasks for the day. She had packed up and slipped her purse on her shoulder when Fitz's office door opened and Stacey called her name. "Will you come in here?" Stacey asked. "We need a tiebreaker."

"Of course," Olivia replied, smiling politely. She rose from her chair, smoothing her dress before walking into the office.

When she entered the office, Fitz spoke immediately, "Please close the door."

Olivia did as instructed and turned back to him. "Stacey said you needed me," she said timidly, still a little shy from feeling dismissed earlier. She was looking around the room, trying to avoid making eye contact with Fitz, when her eyes fell upon the rack of clothes in the middle of the floor. Some of the items had been removed from the garment bags and she could tell that it was a mixture of men and women's clothing. "What's all this?" she asked.

"My way of apologizing."

"An apology dress to wear to dinner with your parents?" she asked, careful to keep her voice neutral in front of Stacey. The king of surprises was already out of tricks.

"N-no. Y-yes." Fitz stammered.

"Well...which is it?" Olivia asked with a smirk.

"The dresses are for you to choose from for dinner with my parents, but they're not my apology. These are," he said, handing her a Christian Louboutin shoebox.

Olivia carefully removed the lid and pulled away the white tissue paper to reveal the sexiest pair of black strappy high-heeled sandals she'd ever seen. Fitz watched her carefully as she gasped in admiration and slight shiver ran through her body. "I think I just had my first shoe orgasm." Fitz looked at her with lust-darkened eyes, picturing her wearing only those shoes as her body quivered beneath him.

Before he could respond, Stacey interjected. "I had the same reaction when I picked them up."

"Don't you mean picked them out?"

Stacey turned in Fitz's direction. "That was all him. I just retrieved them from the boutique."

Olivia's eyes found Fitz and he blushed when she offered, "These shoes scream 'come fuck me' in three different languages."

Momentarily forgetting they had an audience, Fitz responded without filter. "Yes, but can you?" he asked in a sexy, husky voice.

Her eyes locked with his and he watched with tortured pleasured as she transformed from innocent to seducer. She licked her lips and parted them slightly, carefully watching his breathing become labored as wicked arousal claimed his body. When she was sure he was ready to explode, in a silky, seductive voice she asked, "Do you prefer vieni a fottermi," the latter part spoken in a flawless Italian accent, "or veins me baiser?" spoken in a rusty French accent.

The sexual tension that simmered in the room came to a boil as Fitz's arousal become obvious, unavoidable, and urgent. He pushed himself off the desk and made a move toward Olivia when he was frozen in place by the sound of Stacey clearing her throat. Both Fitz and Olivia quickly turned their attention to her in unison, shocked and surprised to find that she was still in the room. Looking incredibly uncomfortable, Stacey said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just need you to look at the suits and for Olivia to select a dress and I'll get out of your hair."

Fitz flashed her an apologetic smile, discreetly adjusting himself the best he could. "I'll take everything. Just put it in the closet, while Liv makes her decision."

Ignoring her body's frustrated screams, Olivia placed her shoes on the chair and walked over to the rack. She flipped through the options, rejecting dress after dress. They were all dowdy, unflattering, and uninspired, more suitable for a woman twice her age than for her. Unlike her first experience, where she felt like she and Stacey really connected, none of the dresses were remotely close to her style and she was frankly surprised Stacey was willing to put her name on any of these looks. Dismayed by the options she quipped, "Am I meeting his mother or turning into his mother. A potato sack with a turtleneck and long sleeves would be more attractive."

"That's what I told him."

Olivia's head snapped toward Fitz. "You told her to dress me like this? How could the man that gave me those," she said gesturing to the shoebox resting on the chair, "expect me to wear one of these?"

"Liv -

"Stop, just stop. I'm not your Madonna or your whore. Keep the shoes and the dresses. I don't need your gifts. I'll wear my own clothes," she said, grabbing her purse and heading for the door. "I'll be back at six."

The whiplash in her sudden change in mood left Fitz puzzled and dizzy. Olivia went from sizzling hot to subzero temperature in a matter of minutes. He was struggling to keep up with her, uncertain if she wanted to kiss him or slap him from one moment to the next. Would it always be like this with her or was her volatility the product of her indecision? Was her reaction really about the dresses? Yes, he instructed Stacey to select more conservative attire, but he hadn't intended to offend Olivia. Everything about her aroused him. Tonight was the first time they would be together outside of work in over a month and he just wanted to make it through dinner without dragging her into the nearest closet or bathroom. For a couple of hours he just needed her to be less her so he could find a way to resist her.

"Olivia, wait," Stacey called. She stopped walking and turned to face the stylist. "I think I have some more suitable options in these garment bags," she offered, gesturing toward the two bags on the couch. Olivia had somehow overlooked them when she was avoiding Fitz. "Plus, I found the perfect dress for those shoes." Olivia looked at her uncertainly. "Don't blame him. I'm the stylist and I picked the dresses. It's my job to push back against his bad fashion decisions. He's just nervous about dinner and I'm sure he was just trying to protect you from his father's roaming eyes and hands. You're gorgeous, even dressed in a potato sack with long sleeves and a turtleneck. We just need to make you a little less tempting. Trust me; I have two perfect dresses in here. One for your inner Madonna and one for your inner whore, neither of whom belong to him."

"Two perfect dresses?" Olivia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Have I ever let you down before?"

"We haven't known each other that long."

"Come, let me wow you."

Fitz rose from his desk and walked toward the door. Stacey looked up, but Olivia remained focused on the new dresses. He mouthed 'thank you' to his friend and she mouthed 'you owe me in response'. "Clearly I'm not needed here. I'll leave you ladies alone. Olivia, feel free to get changed in here. I'm going to talk to Cyrus. I'll be back in an hour."

"I'll take good care of her. She'll be ready for you in an hour," Stacey replied. Fitz paused in the door, waiting for Olivia to speak. When she didn't, he quickly made his exit in search of Cyrus.

XXXXX

Olivia walked out of the bathroom wearing a sleeveless black floral lace sheath dress with a pair of caged Louboutin booties. Her look was a compromise between her usual bolder, sexier style and the more conservative style Fitz needed to get through dinner with his parents "You look beautiful," he said, opening his arms to her. She hesitated, uncertain what to do. "It's after five and the door is locked. No one is going to see us. It's okay...unless you don't want me to touch you."

Her eyes softened at the vulnerability in his voice, turning into warm, chocolate puddles. She wanted him to touch her, but she was afraid of what would happen when she was once again in his arms. Their day had been a roller coaster or emotions and she was uncertain how her body would respond to him. She hated feeling like this, so stereotypically female. She was normally a decisive woman, but, with him, she found herself reacting rather than acting. Deciding to trust herself with him, she walked toward him slowly. "Fitz..." she exhaled his name like a plea. "You think it's easy for me to see you every day and deny myself something I want so desperately?"

"If you want me and I want you, why are we torturing ourselves by not being together?"

Olivia stopped when she was standing in front of him. She looked up at him expectantly and wrapped her arms around his neck. She closed her eyes and sighed with relief when she felt his arms encircle her waist. "I couldn't bear to be touched by you, go home, and be touched by him."

"There's a solution to that problem." She pressed her hands against his chest as he pulled her closer.

"It's not that simple. He hasn't cheated, he's not abusive, we're not having financial difficulty, we don't even fight. He just..."

"He just doesn't make you happy."

"Whose fault is that?"

"Was that rhetorical or do you want me to answer?"

"It was rhetorical, but, please, share."

"You both are to blame. It's his fault because he doesn't love you enough to discover what makes you happy or to listen when you try to tell him. And, it's your fault because you don't insist that he prioritize your happiness."

Olivia exhaled loudly, moving closer to him. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Expose the truths I'm trying to hide." She looked away, embarrassed by her own transparency.

He touched her chin and gently tilted her face toward his. "It's my superpower. I'm like Wonder Woman with her lasso of truth." Olivia chuckled softly and relaxed into his embrace. "Seriously, I pay attention to you. I listen to you. I watch the expressions on your face. I want to know what makes you happy or sad or moan," he said, dipping his head to nuzzle at the sensitive spot on her neck that caused her make that sound he loved. He pulled away and looked down at her, adoration sparkling in his eyes. "I think we can make each other happy without sacrificing our individual happiness. I know you're scared and I wish I knew how to make you feel safe, how to convince you that choosing you and your happiness doesn't make you a terrible person."

"Choosing me or choosing you?"

"I believe if you choose you, you will choose me." He pulled her tighter into his embrace and, since that's where she wanted to be, she didn't fight him. He rested his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent, his beautiful face full of pained longing. "I've missed you."

She giggled softly, leaning into him. "You see me almost every day." Her fingertips brushed the nape of his neck, creeping into his hair. "How can you miss me when I'm right here?" she asked in a sultry tone, looking up at him through her lashes, tempting him, drawing him into her.

She was fucking irresistible. "I've missed us," he whispered, his lips mere millimeters from hers. "I've missed holding you, touching you, kissing you. You're all I've been able to think about. Wondering if you miss me the way I miss you or if you are happier without me?"

Happier without him? Did he really think that was possible? In a few short weeks, he'd awakened desires and dreams within her that she'd neglected for so long, parts of her that she had convinced herself no longer existed. He was like a relentless ocean wave slowly eroding away her defenses until she was left exposed and vulnerable. She nervously licked her lips, her pink tongue darting out and brushing against his lip. He released a low growl. Gently cradling her face, he lowered his lips slowly and brushed them softly against hers. Her body hummed in anticipation of what she knew was to come.

Fitz drew away briefly, opening his eyes to catch a glimpse of the desire etched on her beautiful face. He nibbled gently at her bottom lip before fusing their mouths together again. His fingertips traced along her cheeks, as his tongue begged for entry. Olivia gasped in pleasure and he took advantage of the opening to plunder her mouth, teasing and tasting every nook and cranny. With his free hand, he traced a path down her back, around her waist, and down the curves of her butt, savoring the feel of her body, soft and warm against his. In response, her small, delicate hands slid inside his jacket and stroked his back, melding her body into his. He didn't think he'd ever get enough of her. Being close to her changed something for him, filling him up with a happiness he'd never experienced before.

They were so close Olivia could feel his heartbeat pounding like a jackhammer against his chest and into hers. She leaned into him, yearning for the connection, needing to feel all of him, her thigh grinding slowly against his throbbing erection. A groan rumbled deep in Fitz's throat as he broke their connection to kiss a trail down her neck, his lips and tongue exploring every inch of her sensitive skin. Her head fell back and his name slipped from her lips in a lusty moan. She clung to him helplessly, her traitorous body succumbing to his desires as she felt her own come alive. Her breaths came in short, quick pants; her nipples tightened and hardened; her skin tingled under his touch; and a warm, throbbing pressure built in her core.

Fitz's lips found their way back to hers. He smiled against Olivia's mouth when he felt her tremble as he slid his hand under the hem of her dress, gently running his fingers along the inside of her soft, but toned thighs. Oh, how he longed to make love to her, to lift her into his arms and bury himself inside her, to pound into her until she begged for her release. He dragged his fingers over the damp silk that separated him from her core, slipping his fingertips beneath the edge of her thong with the intention of pulling them down her legs. "Fitz," she cried, her voice a needy whine as she pushed away from him.

Fitz stilled his hands, resting them on the fleshy part of her hips. Chuckling softly, he dropped his face to the crook of her neck. "I'm not sure if that's stop or don't stop," he whispered in her ear.

Olivia took a step backwards, sighing as his hands slipped from beneath her dress. "We have to stop." Trying to gather her composure, she ran her fingers through her hair, smoothed her dress, and wiped the edges of her mouth. "I'm sure your mother already hates me. I can't meet her for the first time looking freshly fucked." She slipped her hand in Fitz's inside pocket, removing his handkerchief and using it to wipe the stain of her lipstick from his lips.

When she was finished, he spoke. "My mother doesn't hate you. She doesn't know you and, once she meets you, I'm sure she will adore you, just like the rest of us. You're infectious, remember?"

"That's me. A real life Typhoid Mary," she said, smiling sarcastically, walking toward the bathroom.

"Can I have them?"

"Have what?" she asked turning back to him, genuinely perplexed by his question.

"Your panties," he replied unabashedly, grinning wickedly at her.

"You're a pervert," she said as she slipped her hands underneath her dress, pulling down her panties. She stepped out of them and tossed them in Fitz's direction before disappearing into the bathroom

Fitz stepped forward to catch them. "Says the woman who literally just threw her panties at me," he called after her. He brought the silky garment to his face, inhaling deeply, before tucking it in his pocket. Looking down at the erection bulging in his pants, he groaned loudly. Something had to give and soon because he didn't know how many more cold showers he could handle.

Ignoring him, she called from the bathroom. "Give me a minute to freshen up and then I will be ready to leave. Will you call Brian and let him know we'll be ready in ten?"

"I thought we would go in your car. I'll drive us to my parents and then I'll drive you home after dinner. Brian will meet me at your house and drive me home."

"I'm not trusting you to drive my car," she teased. "I'm not sure you have a driver's license."

"I'll make you a deal, you let me drive and, if I wreck your precious car, I'll buy you a new one."

"What happens if you wreck me? I'm not as easy to replace."

"You can trust me. You're safe with me."

"Somehow I doubt that," she said in a sultry voice, emerging from the bathroom. "I'm fairly certain you're just waiting for the perfect opportunity to take advantage of me."

Their eyes met and she felt the air rush out of the room, the intensity in his blue eyes making it difficult for her to breathe. Her eyes darted away from his. "You can't look at me like that when we get to your parents' house. If you look at me like that, your mother will know."

"My mother will know what?"

"She'll know that we're pretending and she will definitely hate me."

"Who exactly are we pretending to be this time?"

Olivia approached him and intertwined her fingers with his. "It's not who we're pretending to be. It's who we're pretending not to be." Stretching up on her tiptoes, she kissed him softly on the lips, pulling away before he could deepen the kiss.

Fitz smiled down at her before wrapping her tiny body in his warm embrace. "So, you admit there's something to hide?"

"I've tried to ignore this - whatever this is that's growing between us - but I can't. No matter what I do, it's not going away. I come to work and I feel alive and free. Then, I go home and I try to be the person I was, but I feel trapped. There's this disconnect between who I am and who I'm supposed to be. The only time I feel like I'm being honest with myself is when I'm with you."

"What does that mean for us?"

"I don't know and that terrifies me. I'm not sure I can do this, but I'm also not sure I can not do this."

Fitz heard the anxiety creeping into her voice. He pulled her close and kissed her on her forehead. "Shhh," he murmured into the top of her head. "I didn't mean to pressure you. Nothing has to be decided today. In fact, it's better if you don't make your decision today." Olivia looked up at him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't think I could make it through dinner pretending to only be your boss if I knew you wanted more."

He leaned down so his face was even with hers and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Dropping his hands to her waist, he said, "We should go. We don't want to be late." Olivia nodded quietly, willing herself not to react when her body lost contact with his. "One question before we go," he said. Olivia looked at him, but remained quiet, waiting for him to ask his question. "Are you commando under that dress?"

Olivia released a full-throated melodic laugh. "You really thought I'd go to dinner, _with your parents_ , sans underwear. You really are a pervert."

He shook his head, laughing. "Have I ever claimed differently?" he asked with a shrug, flashing her a brilliant smile. "If you're ready," he said, gesturing to the door. Olivia nodded in reply, grabbing her Prada purse and Louboutin shoes from the chair. "Ladies first," he said, opening his office door and ushering her through it.

 **A/N: So, what did you think? Are you ready to meet Gerry and Anne Grant? Will they see through our tortured couple or will Fitz and Olivia be able to pull off the "we're just colleagues" routine? How long before Olivia stops fighting and gives into her feelings for Fitz? What, if any, consideration does she owe her husband? As always, I love to hear your thoughts – good, bad, and otherwise. I'll be back in a week.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Guess who's back, back again. Shady's back, tell a friend. Guess who's back, guess who's back? Guess who's back, guess who's back? Guess who's back, guess who's back? Guess who's back?**

 **As promised, below is the second half of the chapter I posted last week. I hope you enjoy!**

Olivia grew quiet when they passed through the security gates of one of Miami's poshest and most exclusive neighborhoods. She looked out the window, trying to catch a glimpse of the houses, but all that could be seen from the road were rolling green lawns and impenetrable security gates. They rode along in comfortable silence until Fitz turned the car into a driveway and stopped in front of a gate remarkable for both its size and the huge ornate gold G's decorating each half. He rolled down his window and entered his security code. Slowly the gates began to roll backwards. "Are you sure you want to do this," he asked.

"No, but I'm doing it anyway," Olivia said with a nervous smile. Fitz slowly drove the car along the long and winding driveway.

"Wow!" Olivia whispered as the house came into view. "You grew up here?" she asked, taking in the mansion and the surrounding, perfectly manicured grounds.

"It's just a house," Fitz said, dismissing her awe. He parked the car in the circular driveway in front of the garage. "Do you remember what I told you when we arrived at the Merkles'?"

Olivia nodded. "It's okay to be impressed. The architect intended to wow me, but not to let the owners use the house to intimidate me."

Fitz laughed at the almost verbatim recap of his pep talk. "Well...throw that out the window. In this case, the owner and the architect are the same arrogant asshole and he definitely wants you to genuflect to his greatness. Don't! He's insufferable enough as it is, if he sees an opening he'll try to exploit it to use you as a weapon against me."

"I would never..."

Fitz grasped her hand, bringing her knuckles to his lips, kissing her softly. "I know you wouldn't intentionally, but my father has a gift for finding his enemies' weaknesses and using it against them."

Olivia looked at him, her confusion evident in her expression. "You're his son, not his enemy," she said softly.

He smiled weakly. "I wish it was that simple. My relationship with my father is strained at best. He wanted his son to be molded in his image, but I had my own ideas about the man I would become. The most ironic thing is the parts of me he hates the most are the parts that most closely resemble him." Olivia watched him quietly, her eyes clouded with emotion. "Shit, Liv, I'm sorry. I'm sitting here bitching about my father when you're father is -"

"Fitz...you don't have to tiptoe around me. My father is dead. He has been for a while. You're not being insensitive by talking about your father. Speaking of him, let's get in there and get this over with. Anything I need to know before we go?"

He grinned and motioned with his index finger for her to come closer. She leaned across the center console with an amused look on her face. Looking at her, he struggled to find the words to express how grateful he was that she was there with him. "Thank you for coming. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Olivia smiled up at him. "Luckily for you, you'll never have to find out. Now, kiss me before I change my mind about letting you make out with me in your parents' driveway."

He ran his hand along the smoothness of her exposed thigh and under the hem of her dress. The feel of her body trembling with anticipation under his hand increasing his hunger for her. He moved closer to her. "Are you going to let me get to second base?" She tilted her head back, bringing her lips to his ear as if she intended to whisper something in his ear. Instead, she bit his earlobe, her tongue moving quickly over the spot to remove the sting. "Now you're just being a tease," he said.

She was so beautiful. Every bit of her more seductive than the last time he looked. He leaned the rest of the way in and pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her as if she was his salvation. She yielded to him as he slipped his tongue in her mouth and threaded his fingers into her hair. He kissed her with a hunger that left her senseless and clinging to him. She moaned softly as his lips and tongue moved with expert precision against her own. When he finally released her, she was panting for air. "I want you so fucking bad," he murmured against her lips, "but not like this, not in a car parked in my parents' driveway. You deserve better than this."

Olivia lightly traced her fingers across his lips, wiping at the hint of lipstick on them. "To be continued?" she whispered.

"As you wish. Let's go inside. I want you to meet my mother," he said with genuine excitement. Fitz got out of the car and walked around it, opening Olivia's door and helping her out. They walked hand in hand to the door. When they were standing on the front step, he looked at her and said, "Promise me nothing that happens in this house will change who we are."

Olivia looked at him sincerely and said, "Nothing that happens in this house will change who we are."

He released her hand and opened the front door. The couple entered the foyer and Olivia's mouth fell open. The high ceilings and high windows allowed the natural light to dance with the crystals in the unlit chandelier to give the space an ethereal, magical quality. Fitz observed with amusement the wonder that played on Olivia's face as she took in the stunning entryway. Placing his hand on the small of her back to guide her forward, he said, "Just say the word and I will design and build you a house that makes this one look like a shack."

She swatted playfully at him. "You don't have to keep proving yourself over and over again. Your skyscraper is already taller than his is. You're going to be CEO of his company. You've won. Take your victory lap and have a seat," she scolded.

He studied her curiously, her words perplexing him. Had she really misunderstood the intent of his comment or was she deflecting, trying to shift his focus from the personal to the professional? Deciding it was the latter, he dropped his hand from her back, conceding to her unspoken wishes. If she wanted professional, he would give her professional. "Mom," he shouted loud enough for his voice echo throughout the lower level.

"In here," called a soft, feminine voice from the recesses of the house. Olivia followed Fitz's lead as he guided her to his mother's study. When they entered the room, he wasted no time crossing the distance and pulling his mother into his embrace.

Olivia took this moment to quietly observe Fitz and his mother. She looked very different from how she pictured her. Whereas Jean was regal in bearing, Anne was open and approachable, emanating a warmth that drew you in rather than pushing you away. She must have been an incredibly beautiful younger woman, because she was a very attractive older woman, dressed simply in slacks and a silk blouse. Watching them together, mother and son, she immediately understood this was the person who molded the man for whom she was quickly developing very real feelings.

Anne allowed the hug to linger before separating from Fitz and ruffling her fingers through his hair. "You need a haircut."

Fitz laughed, running his finger through his hair trying to tame his curls. "I just got a haircut on Tuesday."

"Why did he leave it so long?"

"A woman cuts my hair and she left it this long because I asked her to. I'm trying something different."

Anne studied Fitz's face for an explanation. He hated his unruly curls. One of his first acts of rebellion was taking clippers to his precious locks when he was eight years old. He was in college the last time he allowed his hair to grow this long. It was also the last time a woman influenced his decisions. Elizabeth loved his curls and he had worn his hair longer as a small nod of deference to her preferences. A curious smile spread across her face as she looked around Fitz and acknowledged Olivia's presence for the first time. "You must be Olivia," she said, approaching her with an extended hand. "It's wonderful to put a face with the voice."

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Grant. You have a lovely home."

Anne quickly surveyed the young woman's appearance. Dressed elegantly, but fashionably, she projected confidence and humility. Although she was stunningly beautiful, she appeared to be a real woman, not the plastic versions that often graced her son's arm. She was impressed, that was until she noted with dismay the bridal set on her left finger. Why would Fitz take this married woman with him to New York instead of his fiancée? Were they having an affair? Surely, her son wouldn't disrespect her home by sneaking around behind Melody's back and bringing his married lover home to meet his parents.

"Thank you. Please, have a seat," she said gesturing to the sitting area behind her. "Gerry's flight was delayed due to thunderstorms in Dallas. I expected him home thirty minutes ago so he should be joining us any minute now. Olivia, can I offer you something to drink?" she asked, walking in the direction of the small bar.

"I'll take a glass of wine if it's not too much trouble," Olivia replied opting to sit in the armchair rather than beside Fitz on the couch.

Fitz looked between both women frowning. This is not how he wanted this evening to go. These were the two most important women in his life and he wanted them to get along. Presently, it was evident that they were not. It wasn't lost on him that his mother hadn't invited Olivia to call her by her first name. She never allowed people to call her Mrs. Grant. It reminded her too much of her mother-in-law, a woman with whom she'd had a tense and difficult relationship. Olivia had responded to his mother's cool demeanor in kind, distancing herself from both Anne and Fitz. He had promised to protect Olivia, and he would, even if the person he was protecting her from was his mother.

"It's no trouble at all. Red or white?"

"I prefer red."

"I have a Cabernet. Is that acceptable? If not, I can send Fitz to the wine cellar." Fitz flashed Olivia his lopsided grin, hoping to get her to relax a little, but she didn't respond.

"A Cabernet is more than acceptable. Thank you."

Anne nodded in response, busying herself at the bar before returning to the sitting area carrying two glasses, a generous pour of Scotch for Fitz and Olivia's wine. She handed off both glasses before retrieving her wine glass from the end table and taking a seat beside Fitz on the couch. She took a small sip of wine before speaking. "I assume Olivia's presence here with you tonight and as your date for the weekend at the Merkles' is the reason why you've been avoiding me."

Fitz watched helplessly as Olivia's posture stiffened and tension crept into her facial features. Olivia didn't have a lot of tells, but both were signs of her defenses coming back up. He groaned internally. It felt like it was always one step forward and two steps back with her. He'd spent the better part of the day convincing her that she could trust him. Now it appeared his efforts were all for naught as he found himself on the outside looking in once again.

Turning his attention to his mother, he addressed her comment. "I'm not avoiding you. It's only been two weeks."

"It's been _four_ weeks," his mother corrected.

Fitz looked at his mother apologetically. "Has it really been that long? I'm sorry. I should have made time to stop by. The weekend was incredibly productive and I've been ridiculously busy since we've returned."

"I can see that," she spat, causing Olivia to flinch.

"Mom," he warned. He stared at Olivia for a moment, willing her to make eye contact with him, but she refused.

Anne was shocked by his reaction. It was rare for him to take that tone with her and even rarer for him to care if she and his guest were playing nice. "I'm sorry," Anne offered. Turning to Olivia, she said, "I'm being an ungracious host. I apologize."

Olivia wondered if this was what it was like to have a mother-in-law. Jake was estranged from his mother so most of their interactions had been limited to special events in his sisters' lives. His mother was so grateful to see her son that she was exceedingly deferential to Olivia's role as his wife. This tug of war with a mother for her son's affection was new to her and she didn't like it. She wasn't about to compete with any woman for Fitz's attention, not even his mother. Their situation was already complicated enough, she didn't need to add unnecessary drama.

Olivia smiled politely at Anne, still refusing to look at Fitz, afraid of what emotion she might find there. "There's no need for an apology. You're a mother concerned about her son. I understand that. You're the most important woman in his life. Our plan to pretend to be engaged so he could woo potential future business partners may have been a bit misguided, but I know he would never want to disappoint you or damage the Grant Enterprises reputation among your peers.

"Plus, it's mostly my fault he hasn't been by to visit." Fitz watched Olivia closely. She still hadn't acknowledged his attempts to connect with her, but she was skillfully working his mother. He had no idea what she would say next, but he knew it wasn't what his mother was expecting. "With the three projects he's balancing plus his other responsibilities, I've scheduled every second of every day for the past four weeks. It's been a grueling pace of one fourteen hour day followed by another. I'll be sure to carve out time for the two of you to have dinner next week. I'll take care of the reservation. The usual place or somewhere special?"

Anne's body language softened and she smiled warmly at Olivia. "The usual place is fine, thank you," she said softly. Returning her attention to Fitz, she asked, "Now, where is your fiancée and why didn't she go with you to New York instead of Olivia?"

Fitz groaned aloud. Why did his mother insist on having this conversation in front of Olivia? He'd been candid with Olivia about the end of his relationship so there was nothing he could say that would upset her, but his mother didn't know that. Was she intentionally antagonizing her? If so, why? Olivia had been nothing but respectful and gracious since they had arrived. There was no indication that their relationship was anything other than professional, yet his mother was colder and more callous than he'd ever experienced her in a social setting.

Responding to her question, he offered, "I don't have a fiancée. Mellie called off the engagement a few days before the trip to New York. I didn't want to show up stag for a weekend focused on finding the balance between business and family, so Olivia graciously agreed to be my partner for the weekend. She's been the other woman in my life for years now so it was an easy enough role for her to pretend to fill."

Finally, Olivia allowed her eyes to connect with his, letting him know she was unfazed by his mother's behavior. "There was nothing easy about pretending to want to marry you, Fitzgerald," she teased. "You spent the whole weekend working and you snore, loudly. I should have demanded hazard pay. I understand why Mellie left you," she said, laughing with Anne at Fitz's expense.

Anne wiped a tear from her eye. Turning serious, she asked, "Why did Melody call off the engagement?"

His mother was like a dog with a bone. What was it she was expecting to find at the end of this inquisition? "Don't pretend you're going to miss Mellie. You barely tolerated her and the thought of her as the mother to your grandchildren made you ill. She left because she caught me in bed with a wine angle from Cibo," he said bluntly. Startled by his frank admission, Olivia nearly choked on her wine, causing both Fitz and his mother to look at her with concern. When it was clear she was fine, he explained. "I don't keep secrets from my mom. I never have. It made for some awkward moments during my teenage years, but, now, I'm sure there's nothing I could say that would shock her."

"I don't think that's something to brag about," his mother teased. "With his father traveling so much for business, Fitz and I were often left alone to take care of each other. I think that made us a 'team' of sorts. He didn't have to share me and I didn't have to share him. It strengthened our bond and allowed us to develop a friendship of sorts. It was the two of us against the world. That feeling was only reinforced as his relationship with his father deteriorated over time."

"I knew my ears were burning for a reason," Gerry said as he walked into the room, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Shame on the two of you for ganging up on me, trying to persuade our guest that I'm the bad guy in this family," he continued, patting Fitz on the back and briefly greeting his wife with a kiss before approaching Olivia. "Fortunately for me, Olivia knows better. Hello, dear," he said, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "Thanks for coming."

"You didn't exactly give me a choice Mr. Grant."

"You know better," he scolded. "We're past the Mr. Grant crap. Any woman who has saved me millions of dollars gets to call me whatever she wants."

Olivia laughed easily. She could feel Fitz's eyes burning two holes in her, but she ignored him and focused on Gerry. "I was just doing my job."

"I always could count on you to go above and beyond the call of duty," he said with a wink, which caused her skin to crawl with disgust. Turning away from Olivia, he spoke to his wife. "Why don't you go check on dinner while I get cleaned up? Let's all meet in the dining room in ten minutes." After everyone nodded his or her agreement, Gerry left the study followed quickly by Anne.

When they were alone, Olivia quickly headed to the bar for a refill. If that interaction with Gerry was any indication of how the rest of the evening would be, it was going to be a long night and she needed to be dulled to endure it. When she walked past Fitz, he reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her movements. "You never mentioned you were so _friendly_ with my father," he hissed.

"I'm not," she spat, snatching away from him. "How dare you insinuate otherwise. You're letting him do exactly what you warned me about. He walked in here overly friendly and you assumed we had a past. He used me to get under your skin and you let him. You of all people should know..." her voice trailed off as her next words stuck in her throat. Had her integrity been compromised such that he would believe she had sex with his father?

"Liv I didn't -

"Yes you did," she countered, not backing down. Laughing humorlessly, she continued. "All this time I thought you saw me, but you don't have superpowers, just a couple of lucky guesses."

"I _do_ see you."

"If you did, you would have known that your father was making me uncomfortable. I only thought your mother hated me before, but now I know she definitely hates me. Thanks to the two of you she thinks I'm sleeping with her husband and her son."

"I'll talk to my mom. I'll explain -

"You'll explain what exactly? You should have told me about your relationship with her. I never would have agreed to come if I knew you were going to tell her the truth about us."

"There's nothing to tell. The truth is we're not sleeping together."

"Fitz," she sighed, exasperated.

"Livvie," he responded, opening his arms for her, relaxing when she walked into them. "I'm sorry," he said, kissing her softly on the forehead. "I'm having a terrible day. I'll do better."

"We'll do better," she said, rising up on her tiptoes and kissing him chastely. "Once, when I was covering for your father's assistant, a paralegal dropped off a contract for him to sign. You know me, I was curious, so I read the agreement. I found a loophole the paralegal missed that could have added millions of dollars of expenses and fees to the agreement. That's why your father and I are friendly. The rest of the innuendo was strictly for your benefit."

Fitz pulled her close and hugged her tightly. "Are you ready to join them for dinner?"

"No," she groaned. "Your parents hate me. Can't we just run away?"

"You can, but they're my parents. I can't avoid them forever," he said with a weak smile.

"I'm ready," she said with an attitude. "But, you owe me big, mister."

Fitz kissed her adorable pouty lips. "You can have whatever you want. All you have to do is ask." Laughing at the shocked expression on her face, he grabbed her hand and led her to the dining room, where his parents were waiting.

As they were being seated, Gerry gleefully asked, "Trouble in paradise? I hope it wasn't something I said."

"No trouble, but also no paradise, at least not one that we share," Olivia said, looking pointedly at Gerry.

"Stephen said you were a firecracker. Did you really call Fitz arm candy?"

Olivia laughed. "I did, the night of the ball." Bringing Anne into the conversation, she turned to her and said, "You've seen your son in a tuxedo. I was the envy of every woman in attendance."

Anne smiled and laughed with Olivia. "He does clean up pretty well."

"It's a shame he isn't more handsome. Maybe then he wouldn't need a weekend fiancée." Fitz watched with amazement as Olivia enlisted his mom as their ally. His father had picked a fight with the wrong woman and it appeared that everyone was lining up against him.

After dinner was served, Gerry directed the conversation back to the topic of Fitz and Olivia. "When Stephen was going on and on about how impressed he was with young Fitzgerald and his fiancée I knew he couldn't possibly be talking about Melody Carmichael. There's very little impressive about her. I also knew it couldn't have been one of your model/escort/strippers stand-ins. Stephen is far too exacting to be impressed by someone like that. What I couldn't figure out is why, if you met the woman, and this is a direct quote from Stephen, that complements you perfectly, why you hadn't introduced her to us. Then, I figured it out. You hadn't introduced her to us because the woman pretending to be your fiancée wasn't yours. She belonged to someone else. I knew he was talking about your assistant the second Stephen mentioned her only flaw."

Fitz looked at Olivia confused by the turn in the conversation. "You're going to get wrinkles in that beautiful face of yours," she said, smoothing away his furrowed brow. "I'm a Red Sox fan," she explained. "Your father gave me skybox tickets to a Red Sox and Marlins game as a thank you for catching the loophole."

"I guess great minds really do think alike," he said, bitterly.

Olivia briefly rested her hand on his and whispered in a voice only he could hear. "You're nothing like him. Someone had to tell him what to do. It was five years ago and I'd completely forgotten about it until just now. I will never forget the day we spent together in Boston."

Anne smiled softly as she watched their tender moment. Slowly, the pieces were falling into place. There was something brewing between the pair and she wondered how aware they were of their undeniable connection. Oh, what a tangled web they wove as the one-time colleagues pretended to be lovers and now were pretending to only be boss and employee. Stephen and Jean hadn't been fooled, they had borne witness to the beginning of a love story. Her eyes were drawn to Olivia's wedding bands as she wondered if their story would end in happiness or tragedy.

Drawing everyone's attention back to him, Gerry continued, "Stephen didn't call you by your name. He called you something else. Olivia...Olivia...Olivia what?"

"I was introduced to him as Olivia Pope. My full name is Olivia Pope Ballard."

"Ballard...why is that name familiar?"

Olivia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew where this was going and there was no way to avoid it. She shot Fitz a quick apologetic glance and answered. "My husband is Jacob Ballard. He's an architect at another firm in Miami."

"Jacob Ballard. Jacob Ballard," he said, rolling his name around in his mouth like a fine wine. "Didn't you go to graduate school with him?" Gerry asked looking at his son. "Didn't he get the job at Zyscovich Architects? The one you wanted?"

Olivia felt Fitz stiffen at the mention of the ignominious start to his career. She watched as he silently reached for and drained his scotch, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. She reached over and squeezed his knee. "My husband is a very talented architect, but we all know that's not why Fitz didn't get the job."

"Liv," Fitz warned.

"No, son, let her speak. She obviously thinks she knows something."

Olivia's eyes darted to Fitz, holding his gaze until he nodded in her direction. "Robert White and his wife were also guests of the Merkles. After dinner the first night, Bob told an interesting story about a father so desperate to control his son that he threatened to devote his considerable resources to ruining the career of any CEO that dared to hire him."

Anne gasped audibly. "Gerry," she exclaimed, glowering at her husband. "Tell me you didn't."

Gerry glared menacingly at the pair, but remained silent. Olivia continued. "Fitz was the best prospect in his graduating class. I completely understand why you wanted him to work for you. He's a Grant, the future of your family's company. His place was always at Grant Enterprises, working at your elbow, learning everything he could about the business from the men that came before him. He's only forty years old and in position to become the next CEO of a multi-billion dollar organization. That wouldn't have happened if the person grooming him hadn't been completely invested in his success. Whether he realizes it or not, you did him a favor. In part because of the resources afforded to him, he's one of the most accomplished architects of his generation. As his father and his mentor, you have no reason to be anything other than proud of his career path and professional achievements."

Fitz grasped her hand under the table, his eyes aglow with admiration. He leaned toward her and whispered softly, "Thank you."

"You're not here tonight because of his professional achievements," Gerry retorted.

"Aren't we though?" Fitz asked. "Olivia and I are professional colleagues and we accomplished every goal you had for the weekend. We laid the foundation for the Patterson Place subcontract that will bring Stephen to Miami multiple times this winter. The Patterson Place project is too small for Stephen to be involved the way he plans to be. He should have handed the project off to Seth," he said, resting his hand on Olivia's leg to comfort her, "but, he didn't. Instead, he went out of his way to create a direct communication channel between the two of us. This relationship is begging to be mined for a joint bid on a multibillion-dollar project. Stephen wants to work with us and I'm going to find a project worthy of his partnership."

"What will happen when Stephen discovers the 'us' he wants to work with doesn't exist? He's interested in the mature, responsible executive you pretended to be, not the spoiled, rich boy you really are."

"No offense to Olivia, she's perfect, everything a man could hope for in a spouse. Her husband is an incredibly lucky man. We make an excellent team, but my future success isn't dependent on her. I am the man Stephen spent time with last month with or without her. I just needed her to get me in the door, everything that happened after that was a combination of my talent and a little good fortune."

Anne watched as Olivia's smile faded a little and a flash of disappointment crossed her face as she listened to Fitz's blunt statement. If things were as she suspected, her son was very, very wrong. She knew Gerry sent Fitz to the Hamptons representing Grant Enterprises as a test, one he fully expected him to fail. However, he didn't fail. She didn't have the specifics, but, judging from Gerry's reaction, Fitz had exceeded even the most optimistic expectations for his performance. She was an executive's wife and knew well the role Fitz had asked Olivia to play. His success that weekend was as much her victory as it was his and she was disappointed in him for not recognizing that.

Having heard enough, Anne pushed her chair away from the table, clearing her plate and Gerry's. "Fitz, will you help me with dessert?"

"Of course," Fitz replied before excusing himself from the table, carrying the remaining dinner dishes. He followed his mother into the kitchen fully aware that her request had nothing to do with dessert and was just an excuse to get him alone.

Once they were in the kitchen and out of earshot, he said, "OK, Mom. Just give it to me straight. How bad is it? I know you're disappointed in me for lying and for dragging my perfectly innocent assistant into my lie, but I didn't have a choice. Mellie called off our engagement four days before we were expected at the Merkles'. I needed a fiancée and Olivia was the perfect fill-in.

"Are you upset that I paid her? It's not what you think. Olivia is not like the women I usually bring to corporate events. She is not a pro and I would never disrespect her by treating her like one. She's also not the kind of women that would earn a promotion or a bonus on her back. She's formidable in her own right and has earned all of her accomplishments at Grant Enterprises. Before this weekend, our relationship was strictly professional. She did me a huge favor by accompanying me for the weekend and I paid her for her time. That's it. I respected her boundaries the entire weekend. This wasn't some elaborate scheme by either of us to seduce the other.

"What would you rather I do? Cancel the trip and leave Grant Enterprises without representation? Or, would you rather I told Dad and let him pick another employee to represent the company? Do you know what that would have done to my chances of becoming CEO? Do you really want a stranger running our family's business?"

While Fitz rambled on, Anne moved effortlessly through the kitchen collecting the items needed to serve dessert. When she had everything she needed, Anne calmly turned to her son and asked, "Are you finished?"

"What?"

"Are you finished? Is it my turn to talk now?"

Fitz's face turned red with embarrassment. He'd been so afraid of disappointing his mother that he was tripping over himself to explain. He was desperate to get her on his side in what he knew would be a battle with his father. "I'm sorry," he said with a sheepish grin, "I just wanted you to understand why I did it before we got to the part where you told me how disappointed you were in my decisions."

"Well then," she said, pausing to collect her thoughts. "Olivia really is quite lovely. I can see why the Merkles were so taken with her. I've never seen someone challenge your father the way she does. Yet, at the same time, she carefully strokes his ego just enough to keep him where she wants him. He's trying to hide it, but I can tell he's charmed." Fitz remained silent, waiting for his mother to switch to the topic she called him into the kitchen to discuss. "How long have you been in love with her?"

"What?" he exclaimed. "I'm not in love with her. Did you miss the wedding band on her finger? She's in love with another man, her husband," he said, choking on the words as they came out of his mouth. "Olivia and I work together, and after these past few weeks we've become friends, but I most definitely am not in love with her."

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, III," Anne said sternly. "You can lie to yourself, but I will not tolerate you lying to me."

Fitz looked at his mother as if she'd grown a second head. "I don't know what you think you see between us, but you're wrong. Olivia and I are just falling back into the routine we developed at the Merkles'. We're not in love. It's all an act."

"If that's true you both are in the wrong profession because you are delivering an Oscar worthy performance in the dining room. Nevertheless, we both know it's not true, don't we son? I'm your mother, I know what it looks like when you're in love. I haven't seen it in a very long time, not since you were with Elizabeth," Anne paused, giving Fitz time to recover from the sudden mention of his former lover.

"I can't talk about Elizabeth," he whispered, his eyes filling with tears, "not now, not with Olivia in the other room."

"I know, love," she whispered, pulling him into a comforting hug. "For years, I worried the part of you that loved her so deeply, so passionately died with her, but it didn't. I know this because I spent the whole night watching you and Olivia. I don't know how she did it, but somehow that beautiful, intelligent, charming young woman found the piece of you that you buried under years of grief, anguish, and regret and brought it back to life. I wasn't sure you'd ever find love again and now I can see you have. I'm not disappointed, I'm grateful."

Fitz looked up and saw his mother gazing down at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "I like her." His mother looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I like her a lot," he said with an impish grin. "Neither of us planned this. It just sort of happened. One day she was my married and completely off-limits assistant and the next we were both struggling with these crazy intense feelings for each other. I never would have asked her to join me if I knew this would happen."

"What did you think would happen when you whisked your married assistant away for a romantic weekend?"

"It was business trip, not a romantic weekend." Anne's doubtful expression made Fitz laugh. "It's true; for once I was thinking with a more responsible part of my anatomy. I would never intentionally cause someone I care about so much turmoil and I cared about Olivia before the trip."

"Are you sure? It sounds like you and her husband have a history. He took your toy and now you're taking his."

"Olivia is not a toy," he snarled. "Jake and I have a history, but that's never involved Liv. Our differences are from graduate school. Sure, I was pissed when he got the job and I didn't, but that was forever ago. This is not some crazy revenge long game. I don't have the patience for something like that. I won't deny deriving perverse pleasure every time Grant Enterprises is awarded a bid over his company, but I didn't seduce his wife because I was feeling impotent about some job I didn't get fifteen years ago."

"So, you admit to seducing Olivia."

"No...well, yes, but not intentionally. I just treated her the way I thought she deserved to be treated." Once again, his mother looked at him in disbelief. "OK," he said laughing, "maybe I took it as a personal challenge when I learned she hates surprises. She was doing me this huge favor and things didn't exactly go smoothly with Stacey and Samuel or when I paid her. I wanted her to know that our relationship wasn't transactional. Then she was assaulted by Seth -"

"My God," she gasped, covering her mouth with her fingertips, her blue eyes reflecting his devastation. "He didn't -"

"No, I found them before - I don't want to think about what would have happened if I had been ten minutes later."

"Was she hurt?" she asked quietly, not certain she wanted to hear his response.

"Because of me and my reputation, she was bruised and terrified, but also brave, so incredibly brave. She needed me and I know it was wrong, but I wanted her to lean into me, to need me instead of her husband. I wanted to be the man that rescued her, the man that helped her heal and forget, and she allowed me to be that man. I can't describe it, but there was something about her vulnerability and us turning to each other in that moment that forced us to acknowledge - allowed us to give into - what was happening between us. I spent the rest of the trip trying to prove to her that the moment didn't have to be fleeting, but none of it matters. She's married."

Anne watched Fitz closely, her maternal heart bursting with pride that he was finally starting to exhibit the qualities of the man she raised him to be. Although she wished the circumstances were different, that Olivia wasn't married and that she wasn't one of Fitz's employees, she understood falling in love was rarely rational. The heart wants what it wants, even if the pursuit of that love promises to bring emotional pain and suffering to everyone involved. As much as she wished her son had chosen an easier path, she was glad that he finally found someone to love, someone whom she believed would love him in return.

"People get divorced every day. Does she have children?"

"No, not even a dog."

"That simplifies things significantly. It's obvious to anyone paying attention that she loves you too. She wouldn't be here with you tonight if she didn't. You should have seen the fire in her eyes as she defended you to your father. That wasn't an employee standing up for her boss that was a woman riding hard for the man she loves."

"She was afraid you would think she had an affair with Dad."

Anne looked away from her son. "Your father and I have an understanding. He wouldn't have brought her here if that were true."

Fitz looked at her with immense sadness in his eyes. He'd always suspected his father had strayed outside their marriage, but this was the first time either of them had confirmed it. The knowledge that his mother had an "understanding" with his father that would allow him to disrespect her in that way incensed him. He wanted nothing more than to punish his father for hurting her.

Anne watched Fitz's eyes as he processed this new information. His breathing was labored and his nostrils flared with each inhalation. She grasped his hands between hers, gently squeezing them. Bringing his focus back to Olivia, she asked, "Is she having an affair with you?"

He studied her quietly for a moment before nodding and answering her question. "Physically? No. Emotionally? I'm not sure. She's scared."

"Can you blame her? A few weeks ago, you were engaged to another woman. You change partners as often as you change your underwear and everyone knows it because of your highly publicized lifestyle. "

"I never loved Mellie. That was a business arrangement. I needed a wife and she wanted all the trappings associated with being Mrs. Fitzgerald Grant."

"I know that, but does Olivia?"

"Yes. I don't keep secrets from her. I tell her everything."

"Including how you feel?"

"We've talked about it," he said flatly.

"And?"

"And what? I told her that I thought we could be special together; that, for her, I was willing to risk being vulnerable again; and that, if given the chance, I would spend the rest of my life making her happier than she ever thought possible."

"What did she say?"

"Not much. She admitted she has feelings for me too, but she's confused. The commitments she made are important to her and she feels guilty for wanting to be with me." Fitz hung his head. "What am I going to do if she chooses him?"

His mother wrapped her arm around him and kissed him on the top of his head. "She won't."

"You can't possibly know that," he said, a bit of defeatism creeping into his voice.

"I can. Call it my mother's instinct. She's already picked you. She's just waiting for you to show her she's made the right decision. If you want her to act on her feelings, you're going to have to prove to her that she is safe with you. She needs to know she can trust her heart with you. No more wine angels," she scolded.

"I haven't been with anyone since before our trip."

"That's a good start," she said with a chuckle.

"A start?" he asked, his mouth hanging open in shock. "I was a virgin the last time I went five weeks without sex. I don't know how much longer my Krav Maga sparring partner will tolerate me working out my frustrations on him."

Anne laughed. "I have a feeling she's worth the wait."

Fitz nodded and smiled. "She thought you were going to hate her."

"She wasn't wrong. I'll admit I wasn't feeling very generous when I learned about the stunt the two of you pulled with the Merkles. Your father and I had a blazing row when he told me he invited the two of you to dinner and expected me to be a cordial host. I wrongly assumed Olivia was a home-wrecking temptress and the reason why Mellie called off the engagement. I was even less pleased when you introduced us and I noticed the wedding bands on her left hand. I was furious with you for disrespecting your relationship with someone who obviously didn't value hers. I assumed she was looking to get paid and I was disappointed that you could be so stupid and reckless when you had so much to lose."

"What changed?"

"I watched the two of you together. When you guys look at each other everything else disappears until there is nothing else in the world but you and her. I remember that look. I used to look at your father like that," Anne said, a wistful smile upon her lips. "The two of you anticipate each other's needs and take care of each other. A comforting smile here, a gentle touch there, it's subtle but, if you're paying attention, all of the signs of a loving relationship are there. Watching you together, it's like you've known each other all your lives, not just a few weeks. You're so attuned with each other you breathe in sync. The two of you have a lot to work out and Olivia has some very difficult decisions to make, but I believe you have a real chance to be happy together and that's all I've ever wanted for you."

Fitz stood up and approached Anne. "Thank you, Mom," he said, wrapping her in a tight bear hug, picking her feet off the ground.

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, put me down," she exclaimed in the sternest voice she could muster.

Fitz gently placed his mother on the ground. She reached up and caressed his face gently. She knew the weeks and months ahead would be challenging for her son. Her heart broke as she thought of the pain he would likely endure if he decided to pursue things with Olivia. When that happened, he would need his mother, but tonight things between the young couple were good and she saw no reason to shatter that.

"We should probably get back out there and rescue Olivia from your father," Anne said lifting the carrot cake off the table and heading for the dining room. Fitz grabbed the tray with the plates and utensils and followed close behind her.

As Fitz approached the dining room, he heard the sound of Olivia and his father's laughter. He and Anne entered the room to find them doubled over in laughter on their respective sides of the table. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"You," Olivia replied, struggling to regain her composure. "Your father was telling me about the time you went to the beach as a family and you got knocked over by a huge wave and lost your swimming trunks in the process."

Anne started laughing. "I remember that. It was the summer we had the cute red headed au pair from Ireland. Fitz had the biggest crush on her. He was ten years old and completely panicked at the idea of walking out of the water without his trunks in front of her. I had to meet him deep in the water and wrap a towel around his waist to get him out of the ocean. He was mortified."

"Et tu, Brute?" Fitz asked his mother. "I'll have you all know that was the last time I was embarrassed to be naked in front of a woman."

"I knew you had a weakness for blondes," Olivia said. "I didn't know that extended to red heads as well."

"I have a weakness for beautiful women." Dipping his head near her ear, he whispered, "You're my current obsession."

Olivia couldn't hide her body's reaction to his words as she stared back at him with parted lips and flushed cheeks. "Behave," she hissed. "Your mother is watching everything we do." While his mother was occupied serving dessert, she leaned over and whispered to Fitz, "Does she hate me?"

"Just the opposite, but she does know about us."

"You told her?" she asked in a surprised voice.

"I didn't have to. Apparently we breathe in sync." Olivia rolled her eyes. "I told her you weren't sleeping with either of the Grant men."

Olivia detected a hint of sadness in his voice and wondered what had transpired between the two of them in the kitchen. "Did she believe you?"

"I think she did."

"What are the two of you over there whispering about?" Anne asked with a mischievous smile as she served Olivia.

"This smells delicious," Olivia replied, avoiding the question.

"Thank you. It's Rosie's specialty. She's been with our family for years."

Olivia turned to Fitz. "Did you get lucky with Rosie or is carrot cake your favorite dessert because of her?"

Anne couldn't prevent a smile from spreading across her face. Olivia Ballard was a curious study. It was evident she was a dedicated employee, loyal and devoted to her boss. Could the same be said for her as a wife? Fitz described her as being torn between the two men in her life. She wondered how Olivia found herself in this situation. Had she accepted the job looking to trade up or was it kismet, as Fitz had explained? A sudden shift in Fitz's demeanor brought her back to the conversation.

"Absolutely, not!" Fitz exclaimed. "My agreement with Olivia was for one weekend only. She shouldn't even be here tonight. I won't keep imposing on her. She's not going to New York."

"She doesn't have a choice," Gerry barked. "Stephen's request was explicit. He invited the four of us as guests to his next board meeting. He's making some big announcement and he wants us to be there to hear it."

"What's the announcement and why does he want Olivia there to hear it? He doesn't know she works at Grant Enterprises and she doesn't have a seat on our Board, like mom. The three of us can attend to represent the company without her. I'll make up some excuse for her absence."

"Stephen was atypically tight-lipped about his announcement, but he was clear about who he wanted to attend. The invitation wasn't to Fitzgerald and his fiancée or to Fitz and Olivia. It was to Olivia, young FitzGerald, me, and Anne. Her name was first. The two of you made this bed with your brilliant performance," he said snidely, "now you're going to lie in it. What did you pay her the first time? A million dollars? Pay her again. What's it going to take for her to say yes? Two million dollars? Five million? Let her pick a number and you pay it."

"You bastard!" he shouted, leaping from his seat. "Olivia cannot be bought."

"Olivia can speak for herself," she said calmly, placing a hand on Fitz's arm and pulling him down into his chair. "Not that I wasn't enjoying this display of testosterone, but I don't recall giving my proxy to either of you. Despite what you think," she said, boldly looking at Big Gerry, "I don't belong to anyone and I can't be bought. I, and I alone, will make this decision and it won't be about money."

"Do you like your job, Olivia?"

"Very much so, Big Gerry."

"Well...if you want to keep it, I suggest you pack your bags for New York."

Olivia looked at Fitz with panic in her eyes. Was he being serious? Would he really fire her for refusing to join them? Fitz rested his arm on the back of her chair, careful not to touch her, but close enough to make a statement. "Don't worry," he assured her. "You work for me. He can't fire you."

Gerry scoffed. "I think you're forgetting that you work for me. I could very easily fire you both."

"You do that and you'll have one hell of a sexual harassment lawsuit on your hands with me as Olivia's star witness."

"You? The COO I had to fire for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate. I don't think you'll make a very credible witness."

"Maybe not, but I will," Anne threatened. "I will not allow you to bully this young woman into doing something she doesn't want to do for your professional gain."

"Thank you," Olivia said softly. "When is the board meeting?"

"The end of October," Gerry answered quickly.

Looking at Fitz, she continued, "You are a gifted architect and you have great vision as an executive. I am confident Stephen would have recognized this if Mellie or some other woman had accompanied you for the weekend. However, they didn't accompany you. I did and, right or wrong, Stephen believes I'm the woman who's allowed you to focus less on your libido and more on Grant Enterprises. Earlier you said you are the same man with me as you are without me. Do you really believe that?"

Her eyes were so clear, so hopeful that he couldn't bear to hurt her by lying to her. "You know the answer to that question."

"Is this board meeting important for your career?"

"I don't know. Stephen is definitely planning something. First, we met his business partners and competitors. Then, we met his C-suite. Now, he wants us to meet his Board. I know I'm one of the pieces on his chessboard, but you don't have to be. Not if you don't want to be."

"Even if that means your piece comes off the board?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation.

"Fitzgerald, think about what you're saying," his father implored him.

"Stay out of it Gerry," Anne growled.

"If you show up without me, the woman that complements you perfectly," Olivia said in a mocking tone, "Stephen will assume you are the man your father has been telling him you are for years."

"Maybe, but I'll do my best to convince him otherwise. I'm not playing games here, telling you to do one thing while secretly hoping you will do the opposite. This trip won't be like the Hamptons. It will be mostly business. I won't be able to stay with you. I'm not sure I can keep you safe."

"I'll stay with her," Anne said, causing both Fitz and Olivia to turn in her direction. "If she decides to go, I won't let Seth get near her. I'll make sure she's safe." Gerry looked at his wife, waiting for her to explain. She simply shook her head. Now wasn't the time for that discussion.

"You told her?" Olivia asked, her shaky voice conveying her betrayal. "It wasn't your secret to share."

Fitz hung his head. "I know. I'm sorry. I can explain if knowing why I told her will change things.

"It won't," she said sharply.

He took her tiny hand and blanketed it with his larger hand. In a slow, even tone he spoke, "I don't want to fight with you. It's been an emotional day and I know you're freaked out by my father's ridiculous threats. I'm on your side." He paused for a moment and then repeated himself, "I'm. On. Your. Side. I don't expect you to go. You're not going to lose your job. I won't let him, or anyone else at Grant Enterprises, hurt you in any way. Nothing that has happened tonight will change anything for you. You're protected here. You can trust me. Please trust me."

Gerry looked at his wife for confirmation that he was interpreting the scene playing out before him the way she was. She gave him a single nod. Their son was in love with Olivia Ballard and he wasn't bothering to hide it. When forced to choose between her and his career, he chose her without a moment's hesitation. Now, the question was if she would choose him in return.

Olivia removed her hand from his grasp. "Do you need me -

"Always," he said with a lopsided grin.

She giggled softly, the tension starting to leak out of her taut frame. "If you want me to go, I'll go."

"This is not about what I want. This has to be your uncoerced decision."

Olivia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and focused on Fitz, allowing everything else to fade away. She sat silently for a moment, her eyes flicking back and forth as she searched his face for an answer. He smiled, watching her, waiting for her response. It was then that she saw it, a brief flicker sadness in his eyes. He didn't think she would choose him. There was something so earnest about him in that moment, freely giving of himself, but not expecting anything in return, that made her decision for her. "I'll go, but I won't take your money."

"Liv -"

"You said it was my decision. Getting paid feels coercive. I won't be controlled by your money."

"What about Jake? We both know he hates me. He'll never agree to let you go if he's not getting anything from it."

"Let me worry about my marriage."

Her words weren't intended to sting, but they did, nonetheless. He knew her words came from a place of defense and denial, but that didn't make them easier to hear. Her marriage was the only thing standing between him and the future he wanted, a future with her. What did he have to do to show her that what he was offering was better than her life with Jake? The difference in what he was offering was much more than his money and the lifestyle it afforded. He would devote himself to ensuring her happiness at every level. She would be his queen. He would never ask her to subjugate herself to stroke his frail ego nor would he expect her to dim her light so he could shine. They would be a team with both partners working together to ensure both of their needs were met equally. Why couldn't she see this?

"What do you need from me?" he asked.

"I already have everything I need," she replied with a beguiling smile. He leaned in as if to kiss her, but her scramble to move out of his reach reminded him of their audience.

At the exact same moment, the pair turned their gaze to his parents, who were staring at them with mysterious smiles. "What?" Fitz asked.

"Nothing," replied his mother, "just watching the two of you work this out. Olivia, are you sure you want to do this?"

Olivia nodded. "I'm sure. We've done this before, I know what to expect. Just promise me this time we won't have to share a bedroom."

A look of disappointment flashed across Fitz's face. Was she having second thoughts? After the last trip, he knew better than to presume they would have sex, but he thought that at the very least they would share a bed. He missed being close to her and he was looking forward to having her all to himself again. Now, he wondered if his excitement was premature. "I'll have Charlotte book us a two-room suite."

Olivia dismissed his offer. "I'll take care of it. I don't need Charlotte to cover for me while I'm in the office. It's bad enough we'll be out of the office again at the same time. The last thing we need is to be the subject of the office rumor mill."

Perceiving Olivia's retreat back into her professional persona, Anne interjected. "Olivia, as you are going to be my pretend future daughter-in-law, we should spent some time together getting to know each other. Would Fitz be able to survive without you for one hour this week?"

Olivia paused, running Fitz's schedule in her head to determine when she could escape. "This week is incredibly busy. Next week is much better. Fitz is out of the office -

"I am?"

"Yes, you have the conference in DC at the end of next week."

"Do you want to come?"

"I'll be fine here," she replied, quickly shutting down the suggestion. Turning her attention back to his mother, she said, "Next Friday would be ideal. Are you free?"

"I'm far less busy than you are my dear. I'll make myself available," she said warmly.

"I look forward to spending time with you and hearing more embarrassing Fitzgerald stories," Olivia said with a chuckle.

"Mom," Fitz warned.

"Relax, dear, I promise to only share the stories your fiancée needs to know." Anne and Olivia shared a laugh.

"It's not fair. I spent two whole hours with Winnie and I didn't get a single awkward story from your teenage years."

"It's not my fault people open up to me," she said batting her eyes. "Plus, Winnie knew you were my boss. She would never share my secrets with my boss."

"Is Winnie your mother?" Anne asked. Judging by the look on Fitz's face and how quickly his hand darted to Olivia's back, she assumed she had said something wrong.

"My parents died when I was a teenager. Winnie welcomed me into her family after they passed. Fitz surprised me with a visit to her home when we were in Boston. However, he introduced himself as my colleague so I was spared any embarrassment."

"I'm very sorry for your loss. It sounds like Winnie was one of the good foster parents. You hear so many horror stories about neglected and abused children. I'm glad that wasn't your story."

Fitz looked between the two women, smiling. He knew introducing Olivia to his parents while she was still married was a risk, but this was the interaction wanted them to have. He wanted his mother to take the time to get to Olivia because he knew when she did, she would see the astonishing woman he knew her to be. Stephen was correct; Olivia was perfect for him and he wanted his mother to accept her as the woman in his life. It was still early, but he was hopeful about the future. Looking as his watch, he looked pointedly at his father and said, "As much fun as this has been, I have to get Olivia home."

"You three say your good-byes," Anne said, rising from the table. "I have to get something from my study for Fitz."

After Anne left the room, Fitz was the first to speak. "I wish I could say it was a pleasure, but, as usual, you found a way to ruin what would have otherwise been an enjoyable evening. You may have gotten what you wanted, but I won't allow Olivia be used as a pawn in your quest for power and control. I don't want to see you again until I have to and, even then, let's keep it professional, no more of this happy family bullshit. I will do my part in New York, but, until then, let's just stay out of each other's way. Tell mom I said goodnight." When he was finished speaking he stood up from the table in a huff.

Olivia stood to follow him. "Thank you for dinner, Big Gerry."

As she walked past Gerry, he grabbed her hand, halting her movement. "Talk to him. Make him understand he's working against his own self-interest."

Olivia removed her hand from his grasp. "I think you misunderstand," she said coldly. "I only pretend to be his fiancée. I can't make him do anything. Thanks again for a lovely evening," she said sarcastically.

Fitz stormed out of the dining room and headed to the front door. He was about to open the door when his mother called his name. "Fitz, wait, I have something for you." She reached out and handed him a business card.

He examined the card. It was a simple white card with black lettering. The card just listed a name, telephone number, and email address without any indication of who the person was or the services he offered. "Tyler Avery?"

"He's the best divorce attorney in Miami. Be sure to tell his assistant that you're Fitzgerald Grant, III, not Fitzgerald Grant, II, or he won't take your meeting."

"Mom!"

"What? Your father is a difficult man to love. You know this. I wanted to make sure we would be protected if our marriage dissolved. One more thing, be sure to pay the retainer in cash or in Olivia's name. I'm sure the infidelity -

"We're not having an affair."

Anne held her son's face between her hands. "Trust me. I know you will want to help her through this, but you will need to create a paper trail of Olivia acting independently. Her husband can't sue you for alienation of affections, but I doubt he will just grant her an uncontested divorce, especially if he doesn't already know his marriage is over."

"Thank you," he said, hugging her tightly, "and thank you for giving her a chance. She really is special."

Olivia rounded the corner in time to see a Fitz shove something in his pocket and wondered what his mother gave him. She approached the pair cautiously, not wanting to interrupt their moment. Fitz immediately sensed her presence and was awestruck by how complete he felt whenever she was near him. How had he existed without her and what would he do if she decided to leave? He smiled brightly, nodding for her to join them. Olivia approached them and extended her hand warmly to Anne. "Mrs. Grant, it was lovely to meet you. Dinner was delicious. Thank you so much for everything. I'll call you tomorrow with the details for your dinner with Fitz and our lunch."

Anne waived off Olivia's offered hand and pulled her into a gentle embrace. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well. I look forward to our lunch next week." Then, she whispered quietly in her ear, "Be gentle with his heart. It's been a long time since he's allowed anyone to see it."

Olivia pulled away from Anne, tears glistening in her eyes. "I will. Have a good night." With that, she grasped Fitz's hand and allowed him to lead her out of the house.

 **A/N: As always, I love to read your comments – positive, negative or otherwise. Your clever observations, insights, and questions are an inspiration for future chapters.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: How is everyone surviving in a Scandal-less world? Did you watch the finale? Were you satisfied? Did you get the closure you were seeking? I was left feeling a little** _ **meh**_ **after the episode. I wanted so much more for Olivia and was saddened that we didn't get to see her obtain that more. The second season of Scandal will always be one of the finest seasons of any show on network television and I will miss spending my Thursday nights with Olivia Pope and her incredibly dysfunctional family.**

 **Quick comment about the last chapter, if you're interested. If not, just skip on down to the new stuff. The scene with Fitz and his mother was the third thing I wrote and so much of what happened in between was written with the goal of getting to that moment. I loved the idea of that scene and of his mother being the one to hold up the mirror and make him admit his feelings for Olivia. I knew he was going to have the conversation before I wrote any of their trip to the Hamptons and one of the reasons they didn't have sex then was because I wanted Olivia to be able to look his mother in the eyes and not be an adulterer when they first met. Anyway, I hope it was as fun for you to read as it was for me to write. Now…on to the reason why you clicked on the link. I hope you enjoy!**

Fitz walked briskly in the direction of the car, dragging Olivia in his wake. "Fitz, slow down," she pleaded. "I'm five foot four inches tall and I'm wearing five inch stilettos. I can't keep up," she complained. Fitz ignored her pleas, practically dragging her to the passenger side of the car. "What's the ru-

She was silenced when Fitz grabbed her face and crashed his lips onto hers. He wrapped his strong arms around her tiny waist and leaned his full weight on her, trapping her between the car and his hard body. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, and couldn't move. She had no idea what was happening, but knew she didn't want it to end.

Olivia whimpered beneath Fitz and he exploded, claiming her mouth and skillfully ravaging it. She slipped her tongue between his lips and he sucked on it gently. She tasted like the wine she drank with dinner and something else, something sweet, something distinctly her. His tongue tangled with hers in an erotic dance, both of them giving and taking as desire consumed them. She'd never been kissed like this. Never felt such hunger, such passion, with any of her previous lovers.

His hands ran down her sides, pausing to cup her breasts, squeezing them roughly over the lace material of her dress. She moaned seductively as she slid her high heeled foot along the back of his leg, pulling him closer, pressing his erection into her wanting body. Without breaking their kiss, he positioned himself between her legs, spreading them as wide as her dress would allow. Slowly, he slid his hand along the smooth skin of her inner thigh, making her body tingle, as he inched his way to her core.

"Fitz, please," she begged.

"What do you want, Livvie?"

She struggled to form a coherent thought. "Not...want...need," she panted.

He smiled against her lips. "What do you need?"

"You." His fingers swiftly moved to her core, stroking her lightly through the damp silk material.

She grabbed his arm, stilling his movements. "No, you," she said, massaging his erection through his clothes.

Fitz released a frustrated moan. "That's not on the menu tonight, beautiful." Her eyes snapped open and she looked at him with disbelief. He ground himself into her hand, forcing her to feel his dick twitching with need. The warmth and pressure of her touch felt so good and yet it wasn't nearly enough. He wanted more, but he didn't think she was ready. "Only when you're sure. Are you sure?" Olivia hesitated for the briefest of moments. "That's what I thought," he whispered against her lips, gently slipping his fingers between her hot, slick folds.

The air rushed out of her lungs as he sucked tenderly at her pulse point and started stroking his fingers into her. She clamped both hands on his shoulders, anchoring her to him as her body went limp in his arms. He fucked her slowly with his fingers, caressing her G-spot, while his thumb gently massaged her clitoris.

Fitz sealed his lips to hers, swallowing her moans, as she clung to him, her legs threatening to give way, as the pressure from her impending climax built within her. "I've got you," he murmured in her ear. "You can let go. I'll catch you." Her back arched and she ground herself into his hand. As her walls gripped and pulled at him, he separated his fingers, stretching her, filling her completely before flicking his thumb over her sensitive nub. The sensation was so intense, Olivia threw her head back, stifling a scream, as an intense orgasm ripped through her.

Fitz held her tightly, her body still quivering with the aftereffects of her orgasm. He kissed her neck, her chin, her nose, and finally her lips, his lips leaving a trail of warmth against her skin. "You are so fucking beautiful when you come," he said, making a show of licking her essence from his fingers. She looked at him through hooded eyes, her body temporarily sated, but already craving more. "Why are you so good at that?" Fitz parted his lips to answer, but she placed two fingers across his lips, silencing him. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

Fitz smiled warmly at her, a bashful blush creeping into his cheeks. "I should get you home."

Olivia didn't bother to hide her pout. The last place she wanted to go was home to her husband. "I'll drive," she huffed. Fitz started to protest, but Olivia cut him off. "It's my house, I'm the one that knows where it is."

Fitz chuckled lowly. "I'm not sure you can stand if I let you go," he said pulling her into his arms and opening the passenger door. "Watch your head," he instructed lowering her into the seat. He flashed her an arrogant grin as he watched her limp body melt into the soft leather seat, her drowsy eyes threatening to close.

By the time Fitz rounded the car and slipped into the driver's seat, Olivia's eyes were closed and she was drifting off to sleep. He paused a moment and smiled at the peaceful expression on her slumbering face. It was an emotional day for her and it seemed fitting that it ended with her coming undone in his arms. As he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, he couldn't help but reflect on his mother's words. Had he already fallen in love with Olivia?

After losing Elizabeth, he'd been certain he would never love like that again, but now he wasn't sure. Olivia exuded a warmth that drew him to her like a siren's call. Never before had he allowed himself to bask in the presence of a woman the way he did with her. Just thinking about her made him smile and her absence left a void that he couldn't fill with alcohol and empty sex. When they were together, he was hopeful about his future, about their future together.

"Wake up sleeping beauty," he cooed, nudging her softly.

"Leave me alone," she whined, pushing him away. "This is all your fault. You and those magic fingers of yours."

He laughed softly. "I think the wine helped."

"It's not funny, mister. All I want to do is curl up in a ball and go to sleep."

"Is that all you want?" he asked in a seductive baritone.

Olivia's eyes snapped open and locked on Fitz, causing him to laugh. "It's not nice to tease."

"Keep those eyes open, beautiful, and help me navigate."

Olivia crossed her arms, pretending to sulk. She stabbed her finger at the volume button on her console, turning on the radio. Much to her horror, Ty Dolla $ign's _Love U Better_ blasted through her car's speakers.

"Nice song," Fitz teased with a smirk. "You should listen to the lyrics."

Olivia immediately changed the station, opting for a nineties and aughts hip hop station. This time, Left Eye's verse of TLC's _No Scrubs_ was playing. Fitz started laughing and Olivia cut her eyes at him. "What?" he asked, still laughing. "She's not rapping about me. Does the song remind you of someone else you know?

"Shut up," Olivia snapped. She changed the station again, selecting an eighties pop station. Everyone loves the eighties; big hair, acid washed jeans, and MTV. It didn't matter that Olivia couldn't remember any of it. It was her favorite musical decade by far. Which is why she was beside herself when Prince's voice sang out, "Do you want him? Or do you want me? Cause I want you."

Olivia slammed her palm into the volume dial, silencing the radio. Fitz erupted into a laughing fit. When he could speak he said. " _The Beautiful Ones_ ; how appropriate. I think your radio is trying to tell you something." Olivia glared at him. "What? I wasn't the one playing DJ."

"Are you always this insufferable?"

"The universe is sending you a message and you're blaming me?"

"I'm not blaming you. I just wish you weren't enjoying this quite so much."

"Can you honestly tell me that, if our situations were reversed, and you were confident that you were the better woman in every facet of who you were and what you were able to offer a partner, you wouldn't be enjoying this moment? This, the decision you're trying to make, is not a competition because that would mean he has a chance of winning and he doesn't." Olivia was stunned by Fitz's frank words. He sounded more like the arrogant, asshole everyone thought he was than the man she'd come to know. "I can hear the names you are calling me," he said laughing. "I didn't mean it the way you took it. Well...I kind of did, but I wasn't trying to disrespect you or your marriage. I know the odds are on his side, but I also know you won't make that decision because you found me lacking. Simply put, I am the better man for you and I know you know that."

"I- I- I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything." Changing the subject to a safer topic, he asked, "Have you decided what you want?"

"I thought you said I didn't need to say anything."

"Earlier, you said I owe you for enduring dinner with my parents. I'm asking if you decided how you want to collect."

"Fitz," she sighed, uncertain how to proceed. "Things are starting to feel a little one-sided."

"I know. I can't keep imposing on you to do things you don't want to do. It's selfish and unbecoming of the man I just proclaimed myself to be. Thank you for coming to dinner tonight and for agreeing to go to New York."

Olivia shook her head. "What did your father do to you that makes you so willing to believe you are always at fault? You're not at fault. You're the giver."

"The giver?"

"Yes, the giver. You are the giver of gifts, clothes, shoes, jewelry, scholarships, amazing surprises, and breathtaking orgasms," she said with a wide grin. "You, Fitzgerald Grant, are the giver. You don't owe me anything."

"Just breathtaking?" Fitz asked, lifting a wry brow.

"I haven't seen your full arsenal. I'm reserving final judgment."

"Being the selfless giver I am, I'd be happy to show you just how generous I can be. Want to take a detour to my condo?" he asked, brushing his hand along her exposed thigh.

"I can't," she said quietly.

"Where does he think you are?"

"With you." Fitz's eyes and mouth stretched wide in surprise. Olivia laughed aloud. "The look on your face right now is priceless. The CEO of the company I work for ordered me to come to dinner at his house with the COO, who just happens to be my boss and his son. Why lie?"

"What did he say?"

"Honestly, he was kind of giddy. I think he was hoping your father would fire us both."

"He will be disappointed to learn that my father is actually encouraging us to continue this charade."

"Yeah," she said, pausing for about five seconds before continuing. "I haven't figured out how to tell him about that."

"The trip is not for six weeks. It could be a very different conversation by then."

"Fitz..."

"Don't do that. Don't ask me not to hope, not when hope is all I have." Steering with his left hand, he dropped his right hand into her lap. She snaked her hand into his, intertwining their fingers. She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles, before caressing her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I'm not asking you not to hope. I...," she said, her soft voice trailing off without completing the sentence.

"Liv," he said, gently prodding her.

She inhaled deeply, held it for a moment, and slowly released, tears pricking her eyes. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Then don't hurt me." He looked at her and saw the fear welling up inside her. What could be so frightening? Was she that afraid of making a decision? She had to know choosing Jake wouldn't change things between them. Sure, it would be hard to be relegated back to the friend zone, but he would survive as long as he got to keep her in his life. "I'm a big boy. I can handle rejection. All I ask is that you be honest with me, honest about what you're feeling and what you want."

"When is the last time someone rejected you?"

Fitz shrugged. "You reject me all the time."

"I do not," she said, her voice dripping with incredulity.

"You rejected me this morning. I tried to hold and you pushed me away."

"That's different, I was upset. I came back to you. I always come back to you."

"That's why there's hope," he said, beaming brightly and squeezing her hand tightly.

Olivia smiled softly at him and turned to look out the window. A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as they took a moment to just be present with each other. Olivia wondered if things would always be this easy between them. It was as if he understood her needs without her having to explain and gave her exactly that, nothing more or less. He could see her pain and her fears and her struggle to keep them at bay. Instead of trying to be her dragon slayer, he was content to be her squire, learning from her how best to be there for her. Even when she pushed him away, he just kept showing up for her, waiting for her to acknowledge what he already knew. Winnie had likened her to a bird. If that were so, could he be the tree where she finally built her nest? Could he be the place she finally called home?

Olivia's thoughts were disrupted when she felt Fitz's hand creeping under the hem of her dress along her thigh headed for her core. She called his name in gentle warning. He stilled his movements, but made no attempt to remove his hand. "Don't start what you won't finish," she cautioned.

His thumb drew small circles on her soft skin. "I don't think you know how badly I want you. How it takes every ounce of willpower I have not to take you when you look at me with those beautiful brown eyes darkened with need, your lips parted and inviting. Just thinking about how fucking sexy you are in that moment makes me hard."

He took her hand and rubbed it against the very large, very hard bulge constrained in his pants. She wrapped her small hand around him, squeezing him carefully. His lips drew back, his eyes threatening to close, moaning softly at how glorious the contact felt. Reluctantly he removed her hand. "It's probably not a good idea to do that while I'm driving," he said with a chuckle.

Fitz continued, "When you're ready, I'm going to take you places you've never been, make your every fantasy come true. You've never had a dirty, kinky thought that I can't do, won't do, if it ends with you screaming out my name as you come. I'm going to wring orgasm after orgasm from you with my tongue, fingers, dick, and anything else that pleases you. I'm going to bend you to my will and I won't stop until your body gives out and you can't take any more." Olivia gave a small gasp as his words triggered something deep inside her and desire coiled from her belly. Fitz laughed wickedly. "Still want to go home?"

Olivia groaned. Suddenly telling Jake the truth about her whereabouts tonight didn't seem like such a good idea. If she didn't go home now, she might as well stitch a scarlet letter on her chest. She had no doubt Fitz would deliver on every one of his promises, but what would happen in the morning when the haze of lust lifted? Would he still want her when the challenge was over and she lost a little of her luster or would he be cold and distant, pushing her away like those that came before her?

"I never wanted to go home. I have to go home. There's a difference."

"You don't have to do-

"Nothing but stay black and die," she interrupted with a chuckle.

"Huh?"

"It's from a movie."

"I know. Morgan Freeman said it in _Lean on Me_. I just didn't expect you to say it."

"Why? Do you not see a black woman when you look at me?"

"I see a lot of things when I look at you, but, yes, a black woman is one of those things." They both laughed. Fitz sighed. "This is nice, us together like this. When can I see you again?"

"Tomorrow, at work."

"Seeing you every day at work is not enough. It's better than not seeing you at all, but it's not hardly enough for me and I don't think it is for you either. I want to spend time with you away from the office."

Olivia paused, considering Fitz's request. He was right, only seeing him at work wasn't enough for her, but she worried things would move too fast if they started spending time together away from the office. Also, there was the added complication of her marriage. What would happen if someone who knew her and Jake as a couple saw her out with Fitz? Her decision would be made for her and that's not what she wanted. "Are you still friends with the DJ at Utopia?" Utopia was the hottest nightclub in the city with some of Miami's most beautiful people lining up for blocks and waiting for hours only to be turned away at the door. No one knew the secret to making it behind the club's trademark purple doors, but one thing was certain, the only guaranteed way into the club was to be on "The List".

"Huck? Yeah, why?"

"I was wondering if you could get me and two of my friends on 'The List' for Friday night. I just need you to get us in. I don't want you to buy me an outfit or shoes or pick up my bar tab. I just want to get in."

"What do your friends look like? The club has a reputation to uphold?"

"Fitz," she cried out, swatting at him playfully.

"I'm just kidding -

"No you weren't."

"It doesn't matter. If they're standing next to you, I doubt anyone will notice them anyway."

"Oh, they'll notice," she said with a smirk. "The three of us make quite a trio. We're all very different physically, but together we make quite the impression."

"Now I'm intrigued. Are they married?"

"Would it make a difference to you if they were?"

"No-

"That's what I thought," she said, her disappointment evident in her tone.

"You didn't let me finish," he countered. "It doesn't matter to me if they are married or single because I'm not interested in sharing you with anyone."

"Sharing me?" Olivia asked, completely confused.

"The only way your friends end up in my bed is if you invite them there and I'm not interested in sharing you with anyone else, not even your two hot friends."

"Are you scared you can't handle the three of us together?"

"What I can't handle is the sight of you coming undone on someone else's face. When you're with me, that pretty little pussy of yours is all mine."

Olivia threw her head back in laughter. "You are ridiculous."

"And you love it," he said, joining her in laughter. Olivia looked at him, her eyes shining in the low light. Could this be love? How could it be? She barely knew him and what she did know was enough to scare any reasonable woman away. However, she wasn't running or, at least when she did, she always found her way back to him. She was loathe to admit it, but Fitz was right, this wasn't a competition. He'd won the minute she agreed to join him in New York. She'd just been too scared to acknowledge it. His words from earlier played in a loop in his head. You can let go. I will catch you. If she let go of her life with Jake would he catch her? As impossible as it seemed, Fitz had proven to be everything he said he was and he had given her no reason to doubt he could continue to do so if she chose him. Now, the only question was what to do about Jake.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, just thinking."

"About what?"

"You. Us. What it is that we're doing."

"What is it that you think we're doing?"

"I'm not sure, but this is starting to feel like a relationship. We've been out on a couple of dates. We have obvious feelings for each other. I've met your parents. You've meet Winnie. We've been intimate."

Fitz didn't bat an eye. "I think that's a fair assessment."

"How can you be so calm right now?"

"Why would I be anything else? What were you expecting? Anxiety? Teeth gnashing? Rejection? Something else? It feels like we're in a relationship because we are. It's not a traditional relationship, you're married and I have a troubling history with women, but that doesn't make what you're feeling any less true. I want to be in a long term, committed, monogamous relationship _with you_. Therefore, when I'm with you, my priority is showing you the full Fitzgerald Grant experience. What's growing between us is real and it's intentional, at least it is on my part."

Olivia was literally speechless. She sat there, staring at Fitz, her mouth gaping open like a fish gasping for air. "Come on, spit it out, beautiful. Tell me all of the flaws in my thinking and all the reasons we can't be together."

Fitz's words gave Olivia pause. Why couldn't they be together? She liked the person she was when she was with him. She wanted to be with him and found it exhausting to pretend she didn't. Her desires were so strong when she was around him that the only way for her not to act on those feelings was to avoid him. But, having to do that was torture because wherever he was, was where she wanted to be. For years, she'd longed for a man who was sure of himself and not afraid to share his hopes, dreams, fears, and vulnerabilities. She wanted a man who would be her partner and her best friend. Now, one had come into her life and she was pushing him away. What sense did that make?

Suddenly and unexpectedly, Olivia's face lit up in a smile, her eyes full of tears, but sparkling with joy. "I got nothing."

He wanted to reach over and pull her into his lap. To kiss her until she forgot everything except for him and how perfect it felt when they were together. To make love to her until she agreed to stay with him forever. Damn it! Why had he insisted on driving tonight? She could be in his arms right now. Instead, he had to settle for caressing her check tenderly. His heart raced, and butterflies swarmed in his stomach as he focused his attention on her. "What does that mean?"

She pressed her cheek into the curve of his palm, still smiling. "It means I choose you. I want to figure this out with you. I'm ready to be with you, but," she said, pausing to brace herself for his reaction. "I have to go home tonight." Fitz's demeanor changed as quickly as a lightning strike. He dropped his hand from her face and withdrew from her. Olivia reached out for him, intertwining their fingers, and bringing his hand back into her lap. "He's my husband. I can't not come home. I can't just walk away from our life with no explanation. He deserves better than that. He deserves the truth. Plus, if I'm going to leave him, I need a plan. I will need to find somewhere to live." Fitz went to speak, but she quickly silenced him. "I'm not moving out of my house and into yours. I also will need to find a job. I can't be with you and work for you."

"You can work at the Foundation with my mother."

"That's a kind offer, but I don't think you understand. If this is going to work, I need a period of independence from him and from you."

"I thought you said you wanted to be with me."

"I do, but I have to be with me first. I'm not talking about forever. I just need a couple of weeks to work through everything before I tell him. Will you wait for me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"You know I will," he said sadly.

"Hey," she said, turning so he could see her in his peripheral vision. Fitz didn't respond, offering only a sad smile. "I'm not telling that classic married asshole lie. I'm not trying to stay with him and have you too. I need you to trust me. This won't work if you don't trust me."

"I trust you. It's your husband I don't trust. You're essentially giving him time to change your mind. Time to convince you that your commitment to him should outweigh your feelings for me. You're doing all this planning while staying with him and asking me to sit patiently on the sidelines. I don't know if I can do this."

"Will you try? For me? It's better for everyone if this process is as amicable as possible."

"I'll try," he replied with a pout.

Olivia couldn't suppress her laughter as she watched the grown and sexy man she'd fallen for turn into a two year old little boy. She unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned across the console, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you."

Before either of them were ready for the evening to be over, they arrived at Olivia's house. Fitz drove into the garage and quickly got out of the car. In a small act of protest, she stayed in the car until he walked around to the passenger side, opened her door, and helped her out.

Olivia walked to the edge of the garage, actively trying to avoid the conflicting feelings swirling around inside her. She didn't want to leave Fitz, but knew it was the best choice for all of them. She didn't have the stomach for an ugly, messy divorce and that's exactly what would happen if she flaunted her relationship with Fitz in Jake's face. Jake hated Fitz. This would be hard enough for him to accept. There was no reason to upset him any more than necessary.

She looked out toward the street and smiled when Brian got out of Fitz's Range Rover, opening the rear passenger door for his boss. "Hi, Brian," she greeted him, waving eagerly.

"Hi, Olivia," he replied with a huge smile.

"How did you get him to call you Olivia?" Fitz asked, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, nuzzling his face between her neck and shoulder.

"Jake is in the house," she hissed, pushing away from him.

"And we are in the garage. He's not coming out here."

"You have to go."

"Kiss me and I'll leave."

"I can't," she said firmly. Looking at him with pleading eyes, she added, "Please, don't make this any harder than it already is."

"Is this hard for you because it's killing me?"

"Nothing about this is easy for me. Do you think I want to go in there and pretend with him? The easy thing would be to slip into the backseat of your Range Rover and let you convince me we're living in some fantasy world where neither of us has any responsibilities. We have to be smart about this and the smart thing is for you to go home without me. I'll see you in the morning, I promise."

"You're not the one going home to an empty bed," he whined.

"You think it's harder to sleep alone than to sleep in the arms of a man you don't want to touch you." His blood boiled at the thought of Jake touching her, coaxing pleasure out of her. She wasn't his; not anymore. He had no right to see her like that, all vulnerable and needy, that part of her belonged to him and only him now. "Don't do that," she implored him. "Don't let your imagination get the best of you. Once you have that image in your head there will be nothing I can do to remove it."

"Are you sure want me to go, to leave you alone with him?"

"I need you to go. I'll be fine here. There's no reason to be concerned."

Before she could process what was happening, he closed the gap between them, leaned down and kissed her. His lips moved against hers as she was caught between pushing him away and pulling him closer. Eventually she relented, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him close and allowing him access to her mouth. He nipped at her lower lip, dipping his tongue inside her mouth for a gentle and languid kiss that left her weak in the knees. When he was certain he'd lose control if he didn't stop, he pulled away from her, his forehead resting against hers, enjoying being close to her. He nuzzled his nose against hers and she could feel him smile against her mouth. It was the perfect ending to an imperfect night.

"You should go."

"I know," he said, making no effort to move.

"Fitz."

"I'm going," he said, reluctantly separating their bodies. "You're sure you'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

He pecked her one last time, before releasing her. "Goodnight, Livvie," he said, walking away from her. As the distance grew between them, he got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and thoughts of doubt rapidly started to surface. She was underestimating her husband. He wasn't just going to let her walk away. Olivia was an amazing woman, the kind of woman a man finds once in a lifetime, if he's lucky. Jake would fight like hell to keep her. He knew he would if he thought he was losing her.

"Goodnight, Fitz," she said turning away from him and walking toward the door.

Olivia entered her house and found the lower level dark and quiet. That meant Jake was waiting for her in their bedroom. She sighed loudly. The last thing she wanted was to deal with her drunk, horny husband pawing at her. Please let him be asleep. She ascended the stairs and approached the bedroom door. Through the cracked door she could see that the light was on and she could hear voices from the television. Jake was definitely awake. She took a moment to steel herself before pushing the door open.

"Hey, babe," she said cheerily, crossing the room to his side of the bed. She pressed her lips chastely against his and moved away quickly, not giving him a chance to deepen the kiss.

"You look amazing! If I gave you my credit card and told you to buy whatever you wanted would you dress this way for me?"

Olivia walked through the master bathroom, heading into the closet to change into her pajamas. "It doesn't work that way," she shouted out to him. "Plus, I thought you didn't like this version of me."

"Have you looked in a mirror today?" he called after her. "I don't think there's a man alive who wouldn't like this version of you. I can't believe I'm the lucky bastard that gets to come home to you every night.

Jake's words caused Olivia to pause and look at her reflection in the mirror. She stepped out of her dress and allowed her eyes to roam over her body clothed in only a black lace bra, a barely there thong, and heels. Stacey had presented undergarment options ranging from nun to vixen. She had dressed for Fitz, but when the moment came she hadn't been able to reveal herself to him. Standing there, looking in the mirror, she saw herself through his eyes. An aching warmth spread between her legs. Never before had a man made her feel so desired with a simple glance. She slipped her hand into her panties and touched herself, surprised to find she was still wet. Was it residual from her orgasm earlier? Or perhaps from the way he talked to her in the car? Or maybe from the goodbye kiss he stole from her in the garage. Her fingers grazed her clitoris and she bit her lip to stifle a moan. Fitz wasn't even in the room and he had her on the verge of her second orgasm of the evening.

"Liv, is everything alright in there?"

Olivia felt as if she had been doused with a bucket of ice water. Her arousal dissipating as quickly as it emerged. "Yes, I just had a little trouble with the zipper. I'll be right out." She took one last look in the mirror and finished undressing. She quickly slipped into one of Jake's old t-shirts and a pair of boyshorts.

When she reentered the bathroom she was startled to find Jake sitting at her make-up vanity.

"I thought I heard male voices with you in the garage."

Olivia reached around him to grab her makeup wipes, the t-shirt she wore rising up and giving him a peek at her boyshorts. She felt Jake's hands slide along her thighs moving up to cup her ass. She moved his hands away from her butt and bent down to kiss him on top of his head, noting for the first time that his hair was starting to thin. His age was starting to show; the young, virile man she'd fallen in love with giving way to the middle aged man seated before her.

She wondered if he saw the same signs of aging when he looked at her. Had she gone soft in the places where she used to be firm? Did the parts that were once perky now sag? She was religious about her work out regime and self-care, but there was only so much one could do to slow down the hands of time. Is that why he hadn't looked at her the way Fitz now looked at her in years? Was she no longer as physically desirable as she been as a young woman?

Jake frowned at her subtle rejection. Olivia had never been a sex kitten, it had always taken some work to get her warmed up, but lately it seemed as if his advances were rebuffed as often as they were welcomed. His wife was changing before him, but she wasn't talking to him about what inspired the sudden shift. She was shutting him out and that made him suspicious about who she was letting in.

She turned her back to him and began removing her makeup. "That was Fitz and his driver," she said casually. "Fitz drove me home from his parents and Brian met him here to take him home."

"Are you drunk?" he asked, his tone belying the fact he knew the answer to his question without her answer.

"No," she replied, annoyed that he would question her professionalism. "It was a business dinner with my boss and his boss. I had two glasses of wine. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering why he would drive you home rather than let you drive yourself and have his driver meet him at his parents."

Olivia shrugged. "I don't know what to say. Maybe he wanted to make sure I got home safely."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Olivia asked, growing tired of Jake's questions.

"He's kept you in the office this late before. He's never personally driven you home. He's never even offered you the services of his driver. I'm wondering what's different about tonight."

"I'm his assistant, not a mind reader. Who knows why Fitz does any of the things he does?"

"He's usually has a singular motivation. You understand why I'd be concerned that he's suddenly turned his attention to my wife."

"He hasn't turned his attention to _your wife_ ," she spat. "Why is it so hard for you to accept that people are complex beings and capable of being more than one thing? I am both your wife and his assistant. He is both a good boss to me and a womanizing asshole in his personal life. There is no overlap in those roles. There is no reason for you to feel threatened by him driving me home."

"I'm not threatened by him," he snarled.

"Then why are you grilling me about how I got home?"

"I'm not grilling you. I'm just worried that you're not paying attention."

"What exactly is it that you think I'm not paying attention to?"

"He's changing you. I don't know why you can't see that."

Jake was wrong. Fitz wasn't changing Olivia. He may have been the catalyst for her change, but he wasn't responsible for it. After nearly a decade of arrested development, she was finally starting to come into her own. She wanted to pursue her own dreams and pleasure instead of fulfilling someone else's.

She splashed water on her face to gather herself. When she opened her eyes she was struck by her husband's reflection in the mirror. He was sitting there in his white undershirt and boxers, his usual bedtime attire, but everything about him in that moment felt wrong to her. That's when she finally understood what was happening to her. She'd outgrown her husband. She wanted more, needed more than what he was currently offering. She still had a lot to learn about herself, but she knew Jake wasn't the man that could teach her, not anymore.

How was she supposed to explain to her husband that he wasn't enough for her? That the decisions she'd made so long ago were driven as much by her desperation not to be alone as they were by any sentiment she held for him. Looking at him now, she wondered if he'd ever been enough. If she'd ever loved him the way a wife was supposed to love her husband. Sure, she'd gone through the motions, checked every box that a loving and dutiful wife was supposed to, but had any of it been real. Had she ever really wanted him or did she crave the security being with him provided? And, if it was the latter, was she brave enough to give that up now?

Refocusing on the conversation at hand, she said, "The only thing he's changed is my wardrobe."

Defeated but undeterred, Jake pushed forward. "Speaking of wardrobe, do you think you can use your lunch hour one day this week to do a little shopping?"

"Why?" she asked, applying her face scrub. "Did I forget one of your sisters' birthday? Do you need me to pick up something?"

Jake chuckled softly. It was just like Olivia to immediately assume she'd dropped the ball and obsess about how to fix it. It was one of things he missed most about no longer working with her. She was amazingly organized and didn't shy away from being held accountable for her mistakes. "No, you're shopping for yourself. You need a new dress. I'm taking you out on Friday."

Olivia froze in the mirror. She flashed back to earlier this evening when she worked with Stacey to find the perfect "meet the parents" look. She smiled as she recalled how every item was selected as much for Fitz's reaction as it was for the actual event. The way his eyes darkened and his body responded as he drank her in after the big reveal made her feel like the sexiest woman on the planet. That experience was unique to Fitz and just thinking about doing that for Jake felt like a betrayal.

"I can't on Friday. I already have plans."

"What plans? Can't you cancel them?" he whined in protest.

She scooped water into her hands and rinsed her face. "I can't just cancel my plans. Abby, Quinn, and I are on the VIP list for Utopia," she said excitedly.

"You'd rather have girls' nights with your friends than date night with me? It's been weeks since we've had any quality time together. Can't you just change your reservation to another night?"

"Utopia is a club, not a restaurant. It's nearly impossible to get on their VIP list. They turn away celebrities, professional athletes, and famous for being famous heiresses. It's part of the club's mystique. Once you're on the list, you don't ask them to reschedule. If I don't show up on Friday, I'll miss my opportunity to get in. You know I love to dance. If I go with Abby and Quinn then you don't have to suffer through having to dance with me. Plus, I can't just bail on my friends. They're counting on me to make sure they don't go home with a serial killer," she said with a giggle. "Can't _we_ reschedule? I'm all yours next Friday night."

"I'm out of town next week for the AIA conference in DC. Remember?"

"Shit! I forgot. How about Thursday or Saturday?"

Jake approached her from behind, placing his hands on either side of her, caging her in. He swept her hair to the side, bent his head to her exposed neck, and trailed soft kisses along the graceful column. "I miss you. It feels like we hardly see each other anymore. You're either working late or I am. Half of the time, you're already asleep when I get home."

Olivia made eye contact with him in the mirror. "If this is about sex, we just had sex, what, two or three nights ago."

"This isn't about sex." He dropped his voice an octave and whispered in her ear, "Unless you want it to be." He moved one of his hands to her hip, pulling her closer to him. "If that's the case, I could be persuaded to let you distract me with sex," he said before tugging gently at her earlobe with his teeth.

Giggling nervously, Olivia squirmed in his arms, reaching for her toothbrush as an excuse to escape his embrace. "I thought this wasn't about sex," she deflected.

"It's not, it's about us. Ever since you've been back, things have been different, strained, between us. I miss my wife and I want her back."

She didn't know how to respond to him. It felt wrong to reassure him that everything was okay when she knew it wasn't, but she also wasn't prepared to have this conversation with him tonight. "I think you're reading too much into things. We're both under a lot of pressure at work. We've been busier than usual. This will pass and things will settle down."

Jake moved away from Olivia when she started brushing her teeth, retaking his seat at the vanity. "I don't want us to become one of those couples that's so distracted chasing their individual professional achievement that they neglect each other. I want us to spend time together, quality time. I want us to prioritize each other and our family. I'm ready."

Olivia spit her toothpaste in the sink and turned to face Jake. "Ready for what?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I'm ready to start a family. Let's make a baby."

Olivia was alarmed by his proposal. She begged him for years to start a family, but he'd never shown the slightest interest in having kids. Why the sudden change of heart? Did he suspect her commitment was wavering? Was a baby his magic solution? "What's changed? I've been ready for the past four years, but you always had a reason why it wasn't a good time. Why are you ready now?"

Jake looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion, his posture slumped in disappointment. "I thought you would be happier."

"I'm not unhappy."

"You're not unhappy," he said, repeating her response in an angry, mocking tone.

"I'm surprised. I wasn't prepared to have this conversation tonight. You know how much I hate surprises."

"I didn't plan to tell you like this. I wanted to take you to dinner. I wanted to wine and dine you, to spend some quality time together so we could reconnect and recharge our relationship. _I_ wanted to be the one to spoil you."

"Don't do that," she said, irritated that he would invoke Fitz at that moment.

"Do what?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"Don't invite him into this moment. My reaction has nothing to do with him," Olivia lied.

Her reaction had everything to do with Fitz. She couldn't have a baby with Jake, not when she was struggling with her feelings for another man. A baby wasn't the salve for the problems in her marriage and she was angry at Jake for proposing it. For years, she'd longed for this moment, but, instead of being overjoyed and falling into her bed with her husband deliriously happy and ready to make a baby, she felt trapped. He wasn't oblivious to what was going on with her, he just didn't give a damn. Instead of listening to her and trying to address her unhappiness, he decide to take a shortcut and knock her up instead.

"Isn't he already here? Didn't you bring him home with you? I'm not clueless. I could smell him all over you before you rushed in here to change. Your reaction has everything to do with him."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm not saying anything."

"Bullshit!" she spat. "Is there something you want to ask me?" she asked, sounding far more indignant than she actually felt. What was she going to say if he actually asked her about Fitz? They weren't sleeping together, but limiting her response to intercourse wasn't being honest, it was obfuscating the truth.

"I'm not going to subject myself to the indignity of standing here and asking _my wife_ if she's fucking her boss."

"If you think I'm fucking him, why the hell would you suggest we have a baby?"

Jake took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. No one won if this this conversation devolved into a screaming match. "I don't think you're sleeping with him, but I do think he's trying to get in your head. He's trying to tempt you with a lifestyle I could never match. He as much as admitted so the day the two of you left for New York."

Olivia's eyes widened a fraction as she considered his statement. If Jake was correct, Fitz went into the weekend planning to seduce her, making everything he'd told her then and now a lie. Could that be true? Had Fitz been manipulating her this whole time? If so, and if she was just another one of his conquests, why hadn't he taken advantage of her vulnerability when she had invited him into her bed naked and drunk with need?

Olivia thought back on the weekend and how everything between the two of them seemingly changed after she was attacked by Seth. She stifled a gasp as she entertained the idea that maybe Seth and Fitz had worked together to push her into Fitz's arms. Was he willing to go to such extremes to convince her to sleep with him? And, if so, why? What was so special about her? Had he been nursing some decade long grudge against her husband this whole time, patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to use her to hurt him? She trusted him. Hell, she'd considered leaving her husband for him. How could she have been so wrong?

"I'm not tempted by his lifestyle," she rebutted honestly. She was attracted to Fitz, the man, but indifferent to the luxury and excess that came along with him. "Still want to have a baby?"

"Yes," he replied immediately.

Olivia quickly rinsed her mouth and pushed herself up on the bathroom counter so she was seated facing her husband. "Why now?"

Jake shrugged. "I realized I couldn't compete with him."

Olivia immediately recalled Fitz's words from earlier that evening. "I'm your wife. It's not a competition."

"I know. I also know that I can't give you the life he can. However, I can give you the life you want, the life you chose, and I know that life involves children. I had a lot of time to think when you left me to go with him." Olivia narrowed her eyes at him, but remained silent. "I'll admit I spent the first couple of days drinking and feeling sorry for myself. Then you went silent and I panicked. All I could think about was you letting him touch you, kiss you, and make love to you. I drove myself crazy with images of the two of you together playing in a continuous loop in my head."

"And this made you want to have a baby?" Olivia asked, suddenly overwhelmed with guilt. For most men, the thought of their wife with another man would leave them feeling angry or betrayed, but her husband wanted to double down on his commitment to her. While she was entertaining Fitz and allowing her feelings for him to take root and grow, he was making plans for their future.

Jake laughed. "Not exactly, but when I sobered up, I found myself in a very vulnerable place trying to figure out what I had done so wrong that would make you choose him over me."

Olivia sighed. "I didn't choose him over you."

"I know that now and in a funny way I'm glad you made the decision you did, the way you did."

"You are?"

"I am; because it left me in a place where I had no choice but to hear you. I finally understood how important having a family of your own is to you and how much you were willing to sacrifice to get me to a place where I could say yes."

"I was starting to think you decided you didn't want kids."

"Then why did you agree to that ridiculous deal with Fitz?"

"The opportunity was too good to refuse. I thought having the money would force you to declare your position. It would strip you of all of the excuses why we couldn't start a family and leave only the truth. I never intended to hurt you or for any of the rest of this to happen. I hoped that maybe it would lead us..." she said, her voice trailing off.

"Here," he said, his voice full of hope.

"Here," she said, masking her sadness, but unable to match his optimism.

Jake was offering her the life she always thought she wanted, a family of her own to love, nurture, and care for, somewhere she could belong. However, she wasn't the same person that asked him for that life and she wasn't sure wanted it, at least not with him. She wanted someone who was hopelessly in love with her. A man that inspired the kind of passion that heretofore she only believed existed in sappy romance novels and on Thursday night television. She wanted a life where she felt protected, cared for, and prioritized. She wanted a man who understood she deserved to have it all and helped her get exactly what she wanted. Someone that didn't chafe when she decided she wanted something new because he understood that as she grew and developed as a person their relationship would have to grow and change as well. Having a baby with Jake would fill her life with joy and love, but would it be enough to push away her other needs? And, if not, how could she turn him down after pleading with him for years to give her the very thing he was now offering?

"Why now? What was holding you back before?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing. Everything. I think I was scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that we would be shitty parents because we had shitty role models."

Olivia couldn't hide the anger that boiled up inside her. "I didn't have shitty parents," she barked. "I had wonderful parents. They were loving, nurturing, and kind. They were firm yet supportive, giving me the space I needed to become my own person while ensuring I had a solid moral compass to guide me. The person I am today, the person you claim to love, is the person they raised me to be. The only thing my parents ever did wrong was die too soon and, even then, they did everything they could to ensure I had everything I needed to be successful in this world."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply-

"You didn't imply, you outright accused, which is an insult to my parents and to yours. I've met your parents and, while I don't know why you're so angry with both of them, I do know they're not shitty parents. They loved you and provided for you as a child. Shitty parents abuse, neglect, and abandon their kids. That's not your story. From our limited interactions, it appears you turned your back on them, they still haven't given up on you."

"I'm sorry."

"Then stop apologizing and explain to me what you're really afraid of and why that's no longer an issue for you."

"I was selfish. I didn't want to share you. I know it sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud, but I didn't want our lives to stop being about us and suddenly be about this third person."

"What changed?"

"I realized I've been sharing you all along. You've been so distracted lately with work, making sure that Fitz looks good for the Merkles, his parents, and any other ridiculous thing he asks you to do."

"Are you jealous?"

"Should I be?"

"Keeping me away from Fitz is not a reason to have a baby. I'm not going to quit and be a stay at home mom. I plan to work after the baby is born. My career is as important to me as yours is to you."

"I'm not trying to keep you away from him and I don't expect you to be a stay at home mom. I just want you to be as fulfilled and satisfied at home as you are at work. I know your life won't be complete until you have a family of your own, a family with two point five kids. I want that for you, I want that for us. I realized that I wouldn't lose you to our children, but that our love for each other would grow as we expanded our family. I understood that we would become more, not less."

Olivia felt her resolve start to melt a little. Jake wasn't trying to trap her, he was trying to love her. He wanted to start a family with her, not just because she wanted it, but because he wanted it with her. Would the life he described really be that bad? Did she have any reason to believe she would happier with a different life? "You still haven't explained why now."

"I can't explain it. I was at the grocery store about a month ago and this beautiful little girl with big brown eyes and wild curly hair ran into me full speed. She was going so fast, I had to bend down and catch her to stop her from falling. I expected her to be scared, a strange man handling her the way I was, but she wasn't. Once she had her balance, she stuck out her little hand and introduced herself. She was so bold and so smart, she reminded me of a miniature version of you. That got me thinking about what our daughter would be like. Would she be fierce and fearless like her mother? Would she be creative and artistic like her father? It started as a small thing, but I couldn't shake it. The more I thought about it, the more curious I became. I started noticing children and their mothers everywhere and wondering if that could be you and our daughter someday."

Olivia understood the feeling he was describing. When she first decided she wanted children she felt the same way every time she encountered a precocious child. But, as Jake continued to resist the idea of starting a family, those feelings eventually soured. She would see a pregnant woman dressed in stylish maternity clothes and it would leave her feeling sad and envious. She would pass a young woman pushing a stroller when she was running in the park and she would be filled with bitter resentment.

"Liv," Jake said fidgeting nervously. "I've been thinking about it a lot lately and, if it's okay with you," he said, swallowing and taking a deep breath. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to name our daughter Maya, after your mom."

Tears began streaming down her cheeks and her small body shook with sobs. Jake approached her, nudging his way between her legs and wrapping his arms around her. "I love you," he said, kissing her softly and wiping away the moisture from her cheeks.

"I know," she replied quietly, burying her face in his chest.

Jake frowned. Olivia wasn't one to utter reflexive declarations of affection. She felt the sentiment was far too precious to be used so casually. It made the phrase all the more meaningful when she said it. However, in all the years they had been together, she had never, not once, not said it back in the big moments, until now. He pulled away from her so he could see her face. "I thought you would be happier."

"I am happy. It's just a lot to process. I want make sure we're doing this for the right reasons."

"We love each other. That's the only reason we need. We'll figure the rest out as we go. You know," he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, "when I ran this whole conversation in my mind, it ended with you jumping me."

Olivia threw her head back in laughter. Jake loved when she expressed herself like that. It was one of those laughs that made you want to join in, even if you were sure you were the one she was laughing at. All of her came alive when she did it and she was so raw and real in that moment, unconcerned with her vulnerability. To see her like that was to get a rare glimpse behind the mask she almost always wore. She was never more beautiful than she was in those moments and he felt himself slip a little deeper in love with her every time.

"So, you don't want to jump me then?" he asked, having fun with her.

"It wouldn't matter if I did," she said, still laughing. "I have an IUD. We can't make a baby tonight. "

Jake shrugged. "Take it out."

Olivia shook her head at him. "I can't just take it out. I have to schedule an appointment with my gynecologist to have it removed. Even after that, it will probably take us six months to get pregnant.

"Will you schedule the appointment?"

"Jake..."

"I know you're not fully convinced I'm all in, but I am and I'm going to prove it to you. All I'm asking is that you take the first step toward me. Will you schedule the appointment?"

Olivia paused, trying to think of some reason, any reason, to deny his request. It seemed like a small thing, agreeing to make the appointment, but to her it felt like a much bigger thing. It felt like agreeing to live the life he planned for her instead of the life she wanted for herself. She pressed her palms against her eyes and fought against the emotion welling inside her. She couldn't make this decision, not now, not like this. The risks were too high and the unknowns too many. She felt trapped. There was no way to stall without further raising his suspicion about her intentions regarding Fitz. She would have to agree and hope she wouldn't be able see her physician for a couple of weeks. She opened her eyes and plastered a fake smile on her face. "I'll make the appointment."

"You will?"

Olivia nodded her head. "I will."

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her, quickly deepening the kiss when she didn't resist him. "Can I take you to bed?"

"Yes," she said, giggling as he lifted her off the counter and into his arms. "But, I'm going to sleep."

"Liv," he whined, walking her into the bedroom. "Practice makes perfect."

She kissed him on the nose before resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm tired and I have a long day tomorrow. We have plenty of time to practice."

"I'll do all the work and I'll take care of you first."

She laughed softly as he gently laid her on the bed. "I would definitely fall asleep then. I'd be out before you had a chance to crawl on top of me."

He quickly crossed to his side of the bed and settled in beside her, snuggling in close and holding her tightly, pressing his erection against her butt.

"Go to sleep, Jake."

He kissed her on the back of her head. "Goodnight, Liv."

Olivia stared straight ahead and tried not to cry as all of the emotion from the day washed over her. How did all of the relationships in her life get so complicated so fast? What was she going to do? Was she going to leave and explore a possible relationship with Fitz or was she going to stay and have a baby with Jake? Her stomach twisted in knots as she eased away from Jake. No matter what she decided, she was going to hurt someone she cared for deeply. How was she supposed to do that?

Her screen on her phone lit up with a message notification. Knowing it was Fitz, she reached for her phone. Before she could grab it, Jake pulled her back to him. "You're tired remember. Whatever it is it can wait until morning," he said, holding her tightly. "We both have everything we need right here."

 **A/N: So, I have a question for you. I am new to fanfiction writing and I have no idea what happens to the fanfiction stories now that the series is over. Do you want me to bring this story to a conclusion quickly (a few more chapters) or do I let the story play out at its current pace? I'm here as long as you guys are interested in reading the story, but I don't want to continue the story if the fan base is moving on to the next great thing.**

 **As always, I love to read your comments – positive, negative or otherwise. Until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: First, I want to thank all of you that took the time to PM me or to send me encouraging messages (even those that just said "Please update"). All is well with me and mine, I've just been incredibly busy with work and home and haven't had a lot of free time to write. This chapter turned out to be very long so I broke it up into two chapters to make it easier to read. Don't worry…you've waited long enough for my return. I'm not going to make you wait any longer for the second half of the chapter. I'm posting both of them at the same time. For those of you still with me, I hope you enjoy!**

Fitz stepped out of the elevator and on to the sixteenth floor carrying two cups of scalding liquid, a black coffee for him and a chai latte for Olivia. He woke up early that morning, anxious to see Olivia. There was so much they needed to discuss, but mostly he just wanted to be with her again. He'd thought a lot about the moment when she finally made her decision, finally picked him, but last night had been nothing like he'd imagined. Instead of spending the night with her in his arms, he was forced to stand by and watch helplessly as she returned to her husband. He sent her a couple of text messages the night before, but she didn't respond to either. At first he was alarmed, but he talked himself off the ledge reasoning that she probably went to bed early to avoid an interaction with Jake.

Today, he had only one goal, to ensure Olivia knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that, if she permitted, he would love her with every fiber of his being. He understood he was facing an uphill climb, that there was a large gulf between where they were and where he wanted them to be. However, after weeks of waiting and getting nothing from her, she finally gave him an indication of which way she was leaning, and that was toward him. He knew she still had doubts and didn't fully trust him. He didn't blame her. She was still coming to terms with the weight of the baggage he brought into the relationship. If they were going to make it as a couple, he had to find a way to prepare her for and protect her from his past, but that was a problem for another day. His sole focus this morning was to assure her she made the right decision.

Fitz rounded the corner heading for Olivia's desk with a little extra swagger in his step, whistling along to a tune only he could hear. When he finally reached her desk, he froze in place, his face twisting into a scowl, when the person seated came into view. "Good morning Mr. Grant. You're in a good mood today," Charlotte said.

"Where's Olivia?" he snapped.

"Excuse me?" she asked, surprised by his brusque tone

"Olivia...Olivia Pope. You know, the woman that works at this desk," he said, pointing in her direction. "Where is she?"

Charlotte frowned in confusion. She'd heard rumors about him as a boss that he could be cold, aloof, and self-absorbed, but Olivia always seemed content, happy even, working for him. Did he really not know her last name? "Don't you mean Olivia Ballard?"

Fitz's jaw tensed with quick anger. "I know her fucking name," he snarled. "I want to know where she is."

"I imagine she's home in bed."

"Why would she be there?" Fitz asked, ignoring the images of Olivia and her husband, happy in bed together, that were invading his mind.

"Because she's sick," she said hesitantly. "She didn't contact you?"

Fitz brushed aside her question. "Did you talk to her or did she email you?"

"She emailed me this morning and asked me to cover your office for her. Do you think something is wrong? Do you want me to call and check on her?"

"No, don't bother. I'll do it myself. What does my schedule look like today?"

Charlotte reached out to hand him a red folder. Fitz awkwardly tried to grab the folder with a cup in each hand. She laughed and asked, "Do you want me to take one of those off your hands?"

"Only if you want a vanilla chai latte." Charlotte's face twisted in disgust, causing Fitz to laugh. "That's what I thought." He lifted his arm like a chicken wing. "Tuck it in here."

She placed the folder under his arm. "Olivia said everything you need this morning is in here. Your first meeting is in thirty minutes. You're scheduled until noon. You have a break until two o'clock and then are scheduled until six. She sent me a rather detailed email with everything I should need to get you through the day, but also told me I could text or call her if something unexpected came up. Do you need anything else before your first meeting?"

"Thanks, Charlotte. Let me review what's in the folder and I'll let you know if I need anything. Until then, please hold all of my calls. The only people that get through are Olivia and my mother, her name is Anne," Fitz said, walking in his office and kicking his door shut.

He walked to his desk, dropping one of the cups into the trash, cursing loudly when the hot liquid splashed on his pants. He dropped the folder on his desk, lowered himself in his chair, closed his eyes, and took a long sip from his cup, wishing it was Scotch instead of coffee. When he was ready to face the world again, he opened his eyes and checked his leg to see if he was burned. His skin was red and irritated, but he doubted serious damage was done. He removed his handkerchief from his pocket and blotted his pants. Satisfied he wouldn't have to change, he settled back in his chair and called Olivia. After four rings, he was forwarded to her voicemail. "Hey, Liv. I'm just calling to check on you. Charlotte said you were sick. Let me know if you need me to bring you anything. Rosie makes a wonderful chicken soup. I could swing by my parents and pick up some for you. Okay. Bye."

He placed his phone on his desk and woke up his computer, checking Outlook for an email from Olivia. He skimmed through his inbox, but, as he feared, didn't find anything. He picked his phone up and sent her a quick text message.

 _Fitz: Just checking on you. Charlotte said you were sick. Let me know if you need anything._

He returned to his email, quickly responding to messages from his father, Cyrus, Stephen, and the lead architects for the three projects in his contest. Content that all was well in his world, he picked up his phone and checked for a message from Olivia. Finding nothing, and needing a distraction from his worry, he called his mom.

"Hello."

"Hi, mom," Fitz said flatly.

"Hey," Anne replied cheerily. She paused for a moment and then asked, "What's wrong?"

Fitz exhaled deeply and then mustered a happier tone. "Everything is fine. Can't a son just call and check on his mom. I'm calling about dinner this week."

"I spoke with Olivia earlier. She made a reservation for us at Spiga on Thursday at seven. Do you need to reschedule already?" Anne paused trying to get a read on her son. "Where are you? Are you in the car?"

"I'm in the office and, no, I don't need to reschedule dinner. I just wanted to talk to you."

"You don't visit or call for weeks and now I've heard from you twice in two days. Something is wrong. Do you want to talk about it?"

Fitz ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Olivia didn't come to work this morning. She sent one of the float pool assistants an email saying she was sick and asked her to fill in for her."

"You don't believe she's sick?"

"Did she sound sick when you talked to her?" When Anne didn't comment, Fitz assumed her silence was confirmation. "She was fine last night when I dropped her off at her house." Fitz paused, debating whether or not he should fill his mother in on the conversation they had in the car. Deciding against it, he continued. "She hasn't returned my call or my text message checking on her. It's not like her not to communicate with me."

"You brought your married girlfriend home to meet your parents last night. Maybe she just needs some space."

"Olivia is not my girlfriend."

"I can't help you if you won't be honest with me."

Fitz sighed deeply, resting his head on the back of his chair, steeling himself for his mother's reaction. "Last night, after we left your house, we were talking about our relationship and she said she wanted to be with me, that we were going to try to make this work."

"What does that mean? Is she going to leave her husband or are the two of you just going to continue this affair?"

"We're tempted by each other, but we haven't crossed the line," he said in a biting tone. Olivia had been agonizing for weeks over the decision whether or not to break her commitment. He refused to allow to his mother to portray her as wanting to have her cake and eat it too. He'd offered her that and she declined. "I care about her too much to jeopardize our future over something as insignificant as sex. We're not having an affair. That's not what either one of us wants,"

"So, you're going to wait until she's separated?"

Fitz chuckled. "I didn't say that. I'm going to wait until I'm sure she's ready. I refuse to put her in a position to do something she'll regret later. To answer your original question, yes, the plan is that she will leave her husband."

"When?"

"We haven't gotten that far. She's processing everything internally. I only get bits and pieces of what she is thinking or feeling. I want to support her through the transition, but she won't let me in."

Anne listened to her son and could hear the turmoil in his voice. It had been a long time since he'd been so out of sorts over a woman. It was clear that he wanted to do right by Olivia, but he was struggling with balancing his wants with her needs. "I can't imagine what she's going through. Your father and I have had our ups and downs, but I've never doubted my love for him or his love for me. It must be incredibly lonely to be in her position."

"Lonely?" he asked, perplexed by the idea that a woman with two men vying for her affection could be lonesome.

"Yes, lonely. She can't process what she's feeling about her marriage with you and she can't process her feelings about you with anyone she knows. She's surrounded by people that claim to love her, but she is all alone."

Fitz sat in silence as the enormity of his mother's words settled with him. He knew going into the weekend that she belonged to another, but, he couldn't help himself. After meeting the true Olivia, he felt compelled to pursue her. Without trying or knowing what was happening, by the end of their short time together, she'd left him irreversibly altered. Were his feelings for her causing her pain?

"Is that why she went MIA this morning?"

"Sometimes, if you're going to be alone, it's better to be by yourself. I think you should give her some space."

"What if that's the opposite of what she needs? Olivia is an orphan. She's spent the last twenty years doing everything she could not to be alone. It's why she got married at such a young age. Maybe she needs me to show up and keep showing up to prove to her that she's not alone; that I will never allow her to be alone."

"Fitz, listen to yourself," Anne implored.

"Mom," Fitz dismissed, "you know me. I'm not some obsessed stalker."

"Are you worried if you give her space she will change her mind?"

"I'm worried she's home alone and making decisions out of fear instead of love."

"It sounds to me like you've already made up your mind about what you should do."

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?"

"I think you need to listen to Olivia and give her what she's asking for and not what you want her to have."

"That's good advice," Fitz said with a chuckle, recalling that he'd said the same thing to Jake weeks ago. "Thanks, mom. I have to run to a meeting. Do you want me to have Brian pick you up tomorrow or do you want to meet at the restaurant?"

"I'll ride with you and Brian. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, mom." Fitz disconnected the call and placed his phone in his breast pocket, turning his attention to the red folder Charlotte gave him. At nine o'clock exactly, she buzzed him on the intercom to let him know his first appointment had arrived.

Four hours, one unanswered call, and two unreturned text messages later, Fitz was officially frustrated. He tried to focus on work, but the image of Olivia in bed with Jake alternating with the image of her battered and bruised had him completely distracted. He just wanted to know she was okay. He could accept that she didn't want to talk to him, but it would ruin him to learn that she needed him and he did nothing to help her. Deciding he was useless at work, he sent Brian a text message asking him to pick him up, but first he needed his driver to do something for him.

Fitz sat at his desk impatiently staring at his phone waiting for Brian's reply. He knew it was an odd request, but, with Olivia out, Brian was the only person he could trust with something like this. He snatched his phone off his desk when it dinged softly, alerting him to an incoming text message. He nervously read the new message.

 _Brian: He's there. I scheduled the meeting for 2:30. Will meet you out front in 15 minutes._

Fitz smiled as the first part of his plan fell into place. He rose quickly from his seat and crossed the room in several long strides. In one smooth motion, he opened the door and crossed the short distance to Olivia's desk. Without waiting for Charlotte to acknowledge his presence, he began speaking, "Something has come up. I need you to clear my schedule for the afternoon."

"Excuse me?" she asked, confused by Fitz's sudden appearance and the urgency in his tone. "Is everything okay? Is there something you need me to do?"

"I'm not sure, that's why I need to leave. Please call everyone on my schedule this afternoon, apologize for the late notice, and cancel the meetings. Let them know that Olivia will call them in the morning to reschedule."

"Of course. I'll get right on that. Is there anything else I can do? Do you need me to call your driver?"

"I already did. He's meeting me downstairs in five minutes. If something urgent comes up while I'm out, you can call or text me, but please make every effort to avoid that. If you have a question about what to do, you can call Lauren."

Fitz answered a few more questions for Charlotte before heading for the elevator. He exited the building just as Brian was pulling over to the curb. He waived Brian off before letting himself into the car. Brian looked at his in the rear view mirror. "Good afternoon Mr. Grant. Are you going to his office or their house?"

"I'm going to the house, thanks."

Fitz took out his cellphone and sent Olivia another text.

 _Fitz: Im coming over. Let me know if u don't want 2 c me. Ill take ur silence as an invitation._

He put his phone away, confident she wouldn't reply.

After the short ride from the office to Olivia's house, he quickly exited the car and walked up to the garage. He stretched up on his tiptoes to see through the garage door windows and confirmed the presence of Olivia's car and the absence of Jake's. She was home, alone. He approached the door and rang the doorbell. He waited thirty seconds and rang the doorbell again, this time knocking loudly on the door. He waited only ten seconds before repeating the process. Frustrated by Olivia's stubborn refusal to acknowledge him, he sent her another text message.

 _Fitz: Damn it Olivia. Open the fucking door. I know ur n there. Ur car is n the garage and Jake is at work._

Fitz waited for her reply and when it didn't come, he rang the doorbell again, this time banging loudly on her door. He knew he must have looked like a crazy person to her neighbors, but he didn't care. So much for not being an obsessed stalker. Something was wrong with Olivia and he needed to get to her.

 _Fitz: Olivia if u dont open the door in 60 seconds or tell me 2 fuck off, Im going 2 call the police and ask them 2 do a well person check. I'll have them kick in the door if that's what it takes._

He sat on the steps and waited for her to open the door. What could have possibly happened since he saw her last night that would make her avoid him? He knew leaving her alone with Jake was a bad idea. He should have taken her home with him or insisted that she get a hotel suite. Somehow the bastard got to her and convinced her that he was the bad guy. Fitz smiled to himself, Jake may have won round one, but he wasn't giving up that easily. Olivia had gone silent, but she hadn't told him to go away or asked him to leave her alone. His Livvie was still in there and he was going to fight for her.

He was startled when he heard the doorknob rattle. He looked up in time to see Olivia open the door and silently walk away without greeting him or inviting him in her house. He got up from the stairs and dusted his pants off before following her in the house, closing the door behind him. She'd opened the door; that was something. Now, all he had to do was convince her to talk to him.

"How do you know Jake is at work?" she asked without turning around.

"I had Brian call his office. He spoke with him directly and made an appointment with him an hour from now. He will be in the office for the next two, maybe three hours if the meeting goes well."

"That was stupid," she spat. "He'll be suspicious when no one shows up."

"When will you learn, Livvie-

"Don't call me that," she said, angrily cutting him off.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, looking genuinely contrite. "He won't be suspicious when no one shows up because the meeting is going to happen. A friend reached out to me earlier this week needing an architect. I was going to have Neil or Patrick handle the job, but I called him an hour ago and referred him to Jake. If the meeting goes well, Jake will be the lead architect on a couple million dollar project. All in all, not a bad day for him."

"Why would you do that?"

"I needed to talk to you and I didn't want to be interrupted. Jake's a decent enough architect. He can handle the project. The animosity between us is one-sided. I wish him no ill will other than the demise of his marriage. Even that is rooted in my growing affection for you rather than some contempt for him. Now, do you want to explain to me why you are home in your pajamas rather than in the office wearing couture?"

Olivia turned to face him and faked coughed twice. "I'm sick."

Fitz's heart broke as he took in her appearance. Her hair was mussed, sticking out in ways that would be comical if she didn't look so sad. Her eyes and nose were red, most likely from crying all night and most of the day. It was obvious that she was in pain and it crushed him to know that he'd contributed to her pain. "As your boss, I accept that excuse, but, as the other man in your life, I'm calling bullshit. I just saw you fifteen hours ago and you were fine. Better than fine, you were ready to leave your husband and start a new life, a life with me. Today you're breaking promising and ignoring calls and text messages. What happened? What did Jake do?"

Olivia's sad eyes filled with tears. "He wants to have a baby."

"That selfish son of a bitch," Fitz roared. "Of course he wants to have a baby now that he can feel you slipping away. How incredibly twisted to offer you the very thing he's been denying you, the one thing he knows you will keep you stuck pretending to be happy in this farce of a marriage. It's the one thing that would tie you to him for the rest of your life. I told you he would pull some shit like this." Fitz looked up and noticed Olivia had grown small while he ranted. "Liv," he called, taking two steps toward her.

"Don't," she said, holding her hand up in a stop gesture while retreating away from him.

Fitz looked at her, confused by her retreat. What happened to the woman he was with last night? What happened to the woman that chose him and asked him to trust her decision making? Olivia couldn't seriously be considering starting a family with Jake. "Please tell me you're not falling for this bullshit."

"You know I want a baby. It's what started all of this," she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

"That's why you've been avoiding me all day? You're not a fucking ostrich. You can't just bury your head in the sand and wait for someone to make a decision for you. That's not going to happen. I'm always going to choose you, to want you, and, judging by his ridiculous and insulting proposal, he does too. You are going to have to choose. You're going to have to decide what you want in your life and act on it."

Olivia laughed humorlessly. "What?" he asked.

"He described your proposal to join you in the Hamptons the same way," she said, her tone growing hostile.

"Of course he did because he's a narcissist that sees you as his possession rather than a person with her own agency. He's trying to use this baby to control you. I'm sure he pulled every heartstring you have. This is not an act of love and devotion, it's a cruel kind of emotional manipulation.

"That's not what happened between us. I asked you to join me in the Hamptons because I saw your value. You are an intelligent, kind, passionate, beautiful, sexy, funny, and compassionate woman. You are every bit my equal and more than capable of representing my interests and your own at the Hamptons. We were a team, but you were in control the entire time we were there. If lines were crossed, we crossed them together as fully informed and consenting adults. I didn't just happen to you. You wanted me and acted on those feelings."

Olivia quietly studied Fitz. He may have appeared calm, but as she looked closer she could tell the muscles in his neck, shoulders, and arms were tensed with compressed rage. She'd pushed him too far and unlike before he wasn't chasing her or pleading with her to stay. This was a version of him she'd never experienced. He was generally reactive and explosive when he was angry, like he was with Seth. This, the controlled man standing before her, was very different and it made her very nervous.

"Do you want a baby or do you want a baby with Jake?" he seethed.

Olivia hugged herself tightly. Her biological clock was ticking loudly and it was making her irrational. It shouldn't be a difficult question to answer, but it was and it was the very reason she'd been avoiding him all day. If she told him she wanted Jake's baby she knew she'd lose him, but she feared she'd also lose him if she told him she wanted his baby. What kind a desperate woman plans a family with a man she's only known for a few weeks? They weren't officially dating and hadn't even had sex. She would come across as a gold-digger looking to trap him in a relationship he may not want with a baby he was too reckless to prevent. She couldn't do this with him, not now, not today. She needed time to figure everything out before she discussed it with him. "Does it matter?"

"It matters. If you want his baby, I'm going to walk over there, kiss you goodbye, walk out that door, and pretend the past five weeks never happened. If you want a baby, we're going to sit on the couch and use the next two and a half hours to figure out how to get you what you want." Fitz watched as Olivia's eyes flitted nervously all around the room, landing on everything but him. "Do you really want to have a baby with a man you know is only trying to placate you? Or, do you want to be with a man to whom you and your happiness will be everything. He's offering you a baby and I'm offering you 350 Vermont Street, which do you want more? What's it going to be Liv, door or couch?"

She struggled to quiet the voices in her head and focus on the man in front of her. He was serious when he threatened to leave and the thought of him walking out the door made her nauseous. She couldn't lose him now, not before she knew what it meant to have him. Her lips moved as she silently searched for the right words. After five long and tortured seconds, her eyes landed on his and she smiled weakly. "Have a seat."

Fitz smiled in relief as the tension began to leak from his body. He took off his suit jacket and tie, tossing them on a nearby chair. Moving carefully and deliberately, he removed his cuff links and rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular forearms. Without taking his eyes off her, he eased himself onto the couch, extending one arm along the back, inviting her into the space at his side. Calmly and confidently, he waited for her to come to him.

Olivia watched him carefully, stifling a moan at his brazen display of dominance and masculinity. There was something about his ability to be still in the midst of her chaos that willed her to slow down and be present with him in that moment. She walked over to him and sat beside him, close enough that their bodies were flush with each other, her shoulder pressed against his chest, their hips touching, her legs resting against his. She allowed her head to rest on his shoulder and he dropped his arm from the back of the couch and around her small body. He sprawled his free hand across her abdomen wondering what it feel like to know a life their love created was growing beneath his hand. "I want a baby too."

She placed her hand over his and turned so she was snuggled into his side. "You want a wife and children."

"I never said in which order."

"Getting pregnant now wouldn't be fair to you. You deserve to get to know me as Olivia Pope before I'm Olivia Grant and eventually Tommy's mom."

"Tommy?" Olivia pushed away from him, embarrassed by her slip of the tongue. He pulled her back into his embrace, kissing her softly on the top of her head. "Why Tommy?"

"Fitzgerald Thomas Grant the fourth. This family already has a Gerry and a Fitz. I figured our son would be Thomas. Tommy when he's young."

Fitz ran his fingers through her hair, taming her wild tresses. "You've thought about our family?" he asked, his voice straining with emotion.

"You haven't?"

"No, I have, a lot, I'm just confused. If you know our future includes kids, why would you find Jake's proposition so distressing. It's not a binary choice. You aren't choosing between being with me and having a baby. You can have both." Fitz put his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up so he could see the expression on her face.

"The choice is not between being with you and having a baby. The choice is between the known and the unknown. I know I can have a baby with Jake right now, but I don't know what our future holds. Choosing you means that I've wasted the last fifteen years of my life. I don't have another fifteen years to waste. If I want kids, I don't have another three."

"So you're afraid things won't work out between us and you'll end up a barren old maid?"

Olivia laughed. "I wouldn't have phrased it that way, but yes. What if this is my only opportunity to have kids and walking away from Jake is closing the door on that possibility?"

Fitz lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly. "I would never ask you to give up your dream to be with me. I wouldn't be here right now if I didn't believe I could give you the life you want. What can I do to reassure you?"

"There's nothing for you to do. New relationships are a leap of faith. I'm just going to have to take the plunge and trust that we want the same things in life."

"Just because you have to jump doesn't mean I can't give you a soft place to land. How do you feel about freezing your eggs?"

"What?"

"It's a simple procedure. We can harvest, fertilize, and freeze your eggs. That will stop the clock and give us time to make the decision about when to expand our family. My preference would be to conceive our children naturally, but, if something happens in the future to prevent that, we can complete the IVF process. If we break up, you get custody of our embryos. No matter what the future holds, you'll know that you can be a mother."

"You'd do that for me?" she asked, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"Livvie," he said, pausing to determine her reaction. When she didn't correct him or pull away from him, he continued. "When will you learn? There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. Plus, you'll be doing all of the work, including jerking me off into that stupid little cup," he said with a laugh.

Olivia quietly contemplated Fitz's offer. "Do you need an answer right now?"

"That depends, are you still considering having a baby with him?" he asked, tickling her side lightly.

Olivia giggled softly. "I can't have a baby with him. I have an IUD."

"Then no, I don't need answer right now. If you decide it's something you want to do, we'll go to best clinic in the country and start the process." Olivia smiled, relieved he wasn't expecting an answer right then. "However, you have to stop doing this." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You can't keep running away from me and expect me to chase you. It's tedious and exhausting. You're going to have to make a decision."

Olivia slid away from him on the couch. "I made a decision. I chose you."

Fitz reached down, grabbed her legs and pulled them into his lap, trying to ignore the fact that she was likely only wearing panties under her oversized t-shirt. Now wasn't the time for his mind to entertain the myriad of ways she could use her body to prove her point. "And then you changed your mind."

Olivia shook her head. "I didn't change my mind. I was confused, but I never changed my mind. I never agreed to have a baby. I just needed time to think and process what was happening."

Fitz took her left foot in his hands and with a firm, but soothing touch, began to massage the arch of her foot with his thumbs. "Those stilts you insist on wearing are doing terrible things to your feet. Olivia scooted down until her head was leaning against the armrest of the couch and allowed him to pamper her a bit. When he felt her begin to relax, he asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"What happened last night that confused you?"

"It was nothing really. Some of the things he said affected me more than I expected."

"Like?"

Olivia squinted her eyes in his direction studying him closely. "Do you really want to know?"

"I want to share in your entire life, not just the easy parts."

"Does that go both ways?" she asked with a sly smile.

He knew she was asking if he was ready to talk about Elizabeth. "I'll tell you anything you want to know. It may be uncomfortable for both of us, but, if you're willing listen with an open mind, I'm willing to unearth my skeletons for you. Now, what happened last night to make you doubt yourself?"

Olivia took a deep breath and started talking. "He asked if we could give our daughter my mother's name."

Fitz nodded silently. It was an excellent move by Jake, one that surely left her vulnerable to him. "Did you cry?"

"How did you know?" she asked in a soft voice.

"I know what it's like to be blindsided by the mention of a lost loved one. It's like being punched in the gut. All of the air rushes from your body and is replaced by a cacophony of feelings. It's hard to get your bearings. Given the context, I assumed you had a very emotional response. Did you..." his voice trailed off, unable to finish his question.

Her eyes searched for his, waiting patiently until he looked at her. "I wasn't that confused. I only wanted to be with one man last night and I sent him home alone. Well…I assume he was alone."

"I was. Every time you walk away from me, I'm left ruined."

He pushed both of his thumbs into her instep and began to apply pressure. Her eyes rolled back and she moaned. "Oh my God, that feels amazing." He smiled cockily. "Are you sure you're not perfect?"

"I may be perfect for you, but we both know I'm far from perfect. Speaking of my imperfections, what did Jake say that made you doubt me?"

Olivia sat up, pulling her feet from his lap. "How did you know?"

"You didn't come to work. You didn't return my calls or texts. You were obviously avoiding me. He said something to make you doubt me. Are you going to give me a chance to defend myself?"

Olivia studied him closely. He returned her gaze, but wasn't showing any signs of stress. He seemed prepared to talk about anything. "The day we left for the Hamptons, when I came downstairs you and Jake looked like you were about to fight. I need to know what happened between you two."

Fitz broke eye contact with her as he considered how to respond. He could tell from her body language - cautious, but inviting - that she didn't know the answer to her question. He knew he would have to tell her about Jake's mother eventually, but the timing of her question couldn't be worse. "I told you that wasn't about you."

She looked at him sincerely. "I'm listening with an open mind. You can tell me."

Fitz licked his lips, wishing he had something to drink to combat his sudden dry mouth. Deciding the unvarnished truth was the only way to prove to her she could trust him, he said, "It was about his mother."

"His mother?" Fitz closely watched Olivia's confused countenance, waiting for the moment when she realized the truth. "He doesn't talk about his mother. They've been estranged since-

"Graduate school. He caught her in a hotel room with one of his classmates when she was in Boston visiting him. He wanted her to tell his father, ask for forgiveness, and work things out for the sake of his sisters. When she refused, told his father and it ruined his family."

"How do you know this?" she asked, with growing alarm. "I don't know this. He never told me." She looked at him wanting him to deny what she knew had to be true. There was only one way he knew that story. "Fitz...no...please no," she pleaded, scrambling away from him.

Fitz looked at her sadly and nodded his head. "I'm the classmate."

Olivia slowly rose from the couch and began pacing in circles, refusing to make eye contact. "I can't believe I almost - you slept with my mother in-law - I think you should leave."

"I'll leave, if that's what you want, but will you at least let me tell you what happened."

Olivia turned to face him, her eyes blazing with anger. "Will knowing the rest make this feel any less incestuous? Will it make me feel less like a pawn in this twisted game you're playing with my husband?"

Fitz walked over to where Olivia was standing, placing his hands on her hips to still her movements, surprised when she didn't pull away. "I'm not playing some game and I don't give a shit about your husband. What's happening between us, the feelings I have for you, has nothing to do with the fact that your last name is Ballard. This isn't about Jake and me. It's about you and me." He reached out and caressed her check. "Don't punish me now for a drunken hook up with a random woman I met in a hotel bar fifteen years ago. Not when I'm on the verge of having everything I've ever wanted in life."

She looked up at him, her uncertainty etched deeply in her facial features. He could tell she wanted to believe him, but she was torn between protecting herself and trusting him. "Is that what happened?"

"Yes, I was drunk and sad and I allowed her to seduce me so I didn't have to spend the night alone."

"Tell me the story," she said walking away from him and sitting on the couch.

Fitz followed behind her. "It was March twenty-third-

"You remember the exact date?" she asked with surprise.

"It's Elizabeth's birthday," he said softly. Olivia was tempted to comfort him, to tell him she didn't need the rest of the story, but she knew that Jake was saving this bombshell for a reason. She wanted to be armed with the truth when he dropped it. "I like to spend her birthday alone. That year, the date fell on a Saturday. I checked into a hotel planning to drink from the minibar until I passed out.

"I can't remember why, but, for some reason, I ended up drinking Scotch at the hotel bar. I was halfway through a bottle when an incredibly attractive woman" - Olivia shot him a scathing look - "for her age," Fitz quickly recovered, "approached me. At first I tried to get rid of her, but she wasn't the kind of woman that took no for an answer and I'm sure I wasn't particularly convincing. We split the rest of the bottle and half of another before stumbling back to her room and falling into bed. I didn't know who she was, hell, I didn't even know her name, until I opened the hotel room door trying to make my escape the next morning and literally ran into Jake. Before I could process what was happening, he sucker punched me and fractured my jaw. The commotion woke up his mom and I had a front row seat to the Ballard family dysfunction.

"I know he thinks I slept with her as some calculated act of revenge, but it's not true. It was dumb luck that she was his mom. I knew she was married, but she came onto me and I was too drunk and too sad to care. I just wanted to feel something other than the pain of not being able to be with Elizabeth. It wasn't payback because I didn't get the job I wanted. It was just one stupid decision in a decade of stupid decisions."

"Is that what this is, another stupid decision with a married Ballard that will blow up her family?"

"This isn't a decision. If it was, I could decide to walk away and I wouldn't be standing here waiting for you to kick me out. My past is just that, my past, but I understand I've made choices, like this one, that may prove hurtful to you. I was an asshole that only cared about myself. I can't undo, change, or fix those things. They're there and they all contribute to me being the person I am today. All I can do is try to protect you from the worst of it by being honest with you. I want this, I want us-

"I want us too. It's just," she said with a sigh, "a lot. You, your lifestyle, and your past it's just so much. I don't love that you've had sex with my mother-in-law, but that happened before we met and I believe you when you say it doesn't have anything to do with us. I'm coming into this with my eyes wide open, but that doesn't make conversations like these any easier. This won't be the last time you have to share the details of a past encounter and I fully expect that one day I'll be confronted by someone who's shared your bed. I want to be with you, but I still have a lot to learn about you and what it means to be Fitzgerald Grant's girlfriend."

"So you're my girlfriend now?"

"Shut up," she said kicking him softly with her bare foot. "You know what I meant."

"I'm not sure that I do. Why don't you come over here and show me?" he asked with a seductive grin.

Olivia giggled. "You are ridiculous. I'm not coming over there. I know what happens when you touch me."

"You like it when I touch you."

"I do, which is why I'm not getting near you."

"Liv," he pouted playfully, his arms crossed and his bottom lip protruding. She hesitated a moment before sliding closer to him, taking his face in her hands and pressing her lips to his. He took control on contact, kissing her softly, taking his time, slowly driving her crazy. When she was soft and pliable, he pulled her onto his lap, his hands running along her bare thighs and resting on her hips. His hands traveled up from her hips; along her ribs, making her squirm in his lap when he brushed against her tickle spot; and cupped her breasts. He squeezed gently, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, eliciting a small gasp of pleasure from Olivia.

"Fitz," she whispered breathlessly, pressing against him softly.

"I know. I'm not. Just want to be close to you," he murmured against her neck, dropping his hands from her breasts. He pulled her body against his and pressed his mouth against her neck, lingering there when she made a soft mewling sound. He loved that sound. He trailed moist kisses up her neck to her chin before sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. He moaned as she ground her hips against his, heat radiating from her center, tantalizing him through the thin barriers between them.

Fitz kissed her deeply and passionately, slipping his tongue between her lips and tasting the sweetness of her mouth. Olivia threaded her fingers into his hair, returning his kiss with a hunger that matched his. Instinctually her tongue met his in a flirty, sensual dance, a moan sounding low in her throat. Just as she felt her control slipping her away, her cellphone chimed, cutting through the silence in the room, and she immediately stiffened in his arms. Alarmed by the sudden change, he pulled away from her so he could see her clearly. "What?"

"It's Jake," she said quietly, carefully climbing off his lap.

"It's okay," he said, rubbing her arms gently, calming the gooseflesh that prickled her skin. "I should go anyway."

"You don't have to go."

"I know," he said, pecking her lips softly, "but I should. Jake will be home soon and he'll be in a celebratory mood. I don't want to be here and ruin that." He rose from the couch, pulling her to her feet. "Walk me out?" Olivia silently followed behind him.

When he reached the door, she slipped between him and the exit. Raising up on her tiptoes she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his. "I choose you. I want to be with you. I'm sorry I worried you. This is temporary," she said, punctuating each sentence with a kiss.

Fitz buried his fingers in her hair, pulled her close, and lowered his mouth to hers in a long, slow kiss that held both promise and forgiveness. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Olivia opened her eyes and looked up at him, still dazed from the kiss. "Bright and early, and I'll be wearing couture," she said with a sly smile. "Any requests?"

He kissed her quickly. "Surprise me. I know you'll look beautiful in whatever you choose." He kissed her one final time and took his leave.

 **A/N: I'm going to end the first part of the chapter here. Next up…girls' night at Utopia.  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: This is the second of two chapters posted together. If you haven't already read Chapter 20, you may want to go back and read that first. I hope you enjoy!  
**

It was Friday night and Jake was sitting on the couch, watching a documentary, when the doorbell rang. "Liv," he shouted to her, "someone's at the door."

"It's Abby or Quinn, we're meeting here," she replied. "Let her in and send her upstairs."

He opened the door and Olivia's redheaded friend bounded into the house, launching herself in his direction, and wrapping him in a hug. "Hey Abbs," he said, hugging her tightly. He stepped away from her and took in her appearance. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," she said, blushing slightly. "Where's Liv?"

"Upstairs, getting dressed."

Abby looked around, noticing the television was on the bottle of beer on the coffee table. "You're down here hiding from Tsunami Liv?"

"You know how she is when she's getting dressed to go out. She tries on everything in her closet three times, rejecting everything before finding the perfect outfit, usually her first choice. I think she asks for my opinion just so she can yell at me for being clueless. The whole process works best if I make myself scarce until she's dressed, showing up just in time to tell her how stunning she looks."

Abby laughed. "You're a wise man. Let me go upstairs and rescue my friend from herself. With any luck I'll have her dressed before Quinn gets here.

Abby climbed the stairs and knocked on the master bedroom door. "Liv," she called pushing the bedroom door open.

"In here," Olivia replied from the bathroom.

Abby stepped into the room noticing immediately the absence of clothes or shoes on the floor. "Bitch, you better not be in there in your underwear. Quinn will be here any minute now. We don't have two hours to wait for you to get dressed." She walked in the bathroom, surprised to find Olivia fully dressed and standing in front of her vanity, putting the finishing touches on her make up. "Damn girl! That look is straight fire. I can't believe Jake is going to let you go out in that dress."

Olivia moved the lipstick tube away from her lips and glanced up at Abby in the mirror. "He's my husband not my father, I don't need his permission," she said, resuming her previous task.

"He hasn't seen you."

Olivia laughed and looked herself over in the mirror. She was no Renée, but she was more than satisfied with her results. She turned to face Abby and said, "Nope, he's still avoiding me." She spun around slowly. "How do I look?"

"Completely and utterly fuckable."

Olivia threw her head back in laughter at her crass friend. "That's exactly what I was going for."

"You're such a tease. Men are going to be all over you tonight. Why advertise something that's not available?" Her eyes fell to her friend's feet. "Where did you get those shoes?"

Olivia extended one foot to show Abby her shoes. "They were a gift," she said coyly.

"Louboutin, Jake did well. What did he do?" Olivia frowned in confusion. "Your birthday is in January and your anniversary is not until the end of the month. Those aren't shoes you buy your wife just because it's Wednesday. Those are I fucked up and I'm begging you to forgive me shoes. Is he having an affair?" she asked, gasping in shock.

"Jake is not having an affair," she said firmly. "Now, get over here so I can see you," she said, throwing her arms around her friend and air kissing both cheeks. Stepping away from the redhead, she said, "You look incredible!" Abby was dressed in an emerald green scrap of material that accentuated the barely there curves on her lean frame. The vibrant color against her alabaster skin in combination with her fiery red hair making a bold impression.

"What, this old thing?"

"You're gorgeous and you know it."

"I am, aren't I?" Abby teased, laughing. "This may be the only time I get into Utopia. I didn't want to leave anything to chance. Speaking of Utopia, exactly how did you get us on 'The List' tonight?"

"I cashed in a favor with a guy who knows a guy."

"Is one of those guys the reason for all of this?" she asked, gesturing toward Olivia's dress and shoes.

"I'm just trying to keep up with you," Olivia replied, avoiding her question. "Where's Quinn?"

"Late, as usual."

Olivia shook her head. "Let's get started without her. What are you drinking tonight, vodka or tequila?"

"Oooh...let's do tequila shots."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "You do know we're not twenty something anymore?"

"Shut your mouth. I'm only as old as I feel, and, tonight, I feel like I'm twenty something. I'm not going to let my married, middle aged friend kill my buzz."

"Your married, middle aged friend? Ouch! Bring your skinny ass downstairs and I'll reintroduce you to Olivia Pope."

"Olivia Pope, huh? You haven't been her for more than ten years." Pausing for a moment, Abby grew serious. "Are you sure everything is okay with you and Jake? Quinn won't be here for at least another fifteen minutes, we could talk if you want."

"I'd rather drink," Olivia said, shrugging off Abby's concern. "Come on, there's a bottle of tequila downstairs with our name on it."

Fitz arrived at Utopia earlier than he normally would to be sure everything was in place for Olivia before her arrival. He exited the car and walked up to a bored looking bouncer at the VIP entrance. "Mark, they have you on the line tonight?" he asked the club's head of security.

"Fitz," the man greeted him with a bro-hug. "I had a couple of guys call out. I thought I'd take the first shift outside tonight. Where've you been? You haven't been through in weeks. Must be some good pussy to keep you out the club."

"Something like that," Fitz said with a chuckle. "Listen, I have some friends on The List tonight. Will you and your boys look after them and make sure no one gives them a hard time?"

"We got you."

"Thanks," he said, discreetly handing the man an envelope.

"What are their names?" he asked, checking his list.

"Olivia Ballard, Abigail Whelan, and Quinn Perkins." Mark nodded, making a small notation beside their names. "Is Sammy working tonight?"

"Yeah, she's in there."

"Good, tell her to add a couple of bottles of whatever you and the boys are drinking to my tab."

"Will do," he said with a broad smile. "We'll make sure your friends get the red carpet treatment. They sitting with you?"

"They have their own table on the lower balcony."

"The lower balcony? What kind of friends are these?"

"The Miss Independent kind. She's not on my tab."

"That's gotta be new for you. Is she what's kept you slung up at home?"

"I've been busy," Fitz answered with a smirk.

Mark shook his head. "Alright, I'll let the boys know to keep an eye out. You want me to text you when they get here?"

"That's great. Thanks."

Fitz made his way into the club, walking slowly to allow his body adjust to the sensory attack from the loud, pulsing music and the bright multicolored lights surrounding the dance floor and illuminating the DJ booth. He nodded at the VIP host, who, recognizing him immediately, smiled and waved back. He was making his way to his usual table on the upper balcony when his path was blocked by a beautiful Latina woman wearing a gold, spandex mini dress.

"Ay, papi! Where have you been? I've missed you," Sammy said, pulling him into a friendly hug.

Smiling softly at the enthusiastic younger woman, Fitz stepped away and answered. "Working. I only have a couple of months left to prove to my father and the Board that I'm ready to take over the company."

"Is that even a question?"

"Apparently so, some people doubt I have the gravitas for the position," Fitz said in a mocking tone.

"I thought that's why you were with that Mellie person."

Fitz shrugged. "We broke up."

"Should I offer my condolences or congratulations?"

He laughed heartily. "Definitely congratulations." Fitz began to look around, checking out the staff milling about. "Is Jacci working tonight?"

"Please tell me you're not sniffing around that hoe again. You took her to one corporate party and you would think you proposed the way she acted. You're all she talked about for weeks. She was so pissed when you stopped taking her calls. She'd planned your whole lives together after that party."

He shuddered at the thought. "I'm not - what did you say - sniffing around her again. I have some friends coming tonight and I don't want them bumping into her."

"Are they partying with you?"

"No, they're on the lower balcony."

Sammy scoffed. "Her highness would never deign to work the lower balcony. Plus, some NBA player and his entourage are on The List tonight. She'll be too busy flirting with them to pay attention to you."

Fitz exhaled audibly with relief. "Are you working that party?"

"Not my crowd, I prefer my millionaires ridiculously handsome, confident, and quiet. Those here to observe others rather than to be seen." He nodded his head, thanking her for the compliment. She looked down at the mostly empty dance floor. "Why are you here so early?"

"I wanted to avoid the crowd waiting to get in."

Sammy looked at him curiously. Fitz was a permanent fixture on The List, a table reserved for him every night. As long as he arrived before midnight, he walked right in and headed straight for his table where Sammy or another bottle girl made sure he had everything he needed. "Are you headed up to your table or down to see Huck?"

"I think I'll go hang out with Huck while I wait for Charlie and Stephen."

"I'll bring your drink down there. Do you want a bottle or glass?"

"Bring a bottle and two glasses, please."

"We're not supposed to drink while we're working," she scolded playfully.

"I won't tell Adam if you bring two glasses and a shot of whatever you're drinking," he said with a wink before heading off in the direction of the DJ booth.

Thirty minutes later, a buzzed Olivia and her equally buzzed friends were in the back of an Uber headed for Utopia. When they arrived, Olivia directed the driver to drop them off at the front of the club. She opened her door and stepped out of the car, one toned caramel leg after the other, followed closely by Abby and Quinn. Olivia was acutely aware of the feeling of hungry eyes pouring over every inch of her. She felt doubt beginning to creep within her. Maybe Abby was right. Maybe she should have worn another, less provocative dress, but there was one pair of eyes she wanted to feel on her and she hoped he would meet her inside.

As per usual, the line to get in Utopia was wrapped around the building. Instead of joining the line, they walked up to the VIP bouncer and gave their names. Olivia was a bit surprised when they were waived into club without having to show their IDs. As she walked through the famed purple door, Olivia could feel the stares shift from hungry to angry as those waiting outside openly wondered what was so special about her and her friends that allowed them to skip the line.

Olivia led her friends down the dark VIP entrance and into the club. When the hallway gave way to the club's dance floor, she started to understand what the hype was all about. The club was full of flashing lights, punishing bass lines, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous people in amazing clothes. Utopia was a playground for Miami's rich and beautiful and she felt like an imposter, a young girl playing dress-up in someone else's clothes and pretending to belong. She wished Fitz was by her side. He would know exactly what to say or do to calm her nerves and put her at ease. As thoughts of Fitz invaded her mind, she involuntarily began searching the faces on the upper balcony looking for him.

"Who are you looking for?" Abby asked, bringing her back to the present.

"No one," Olivia shrugged off the question as a VIP hostess approached them.

"Olivia Ballard?" she asked.

"That's me."

"We have a table for you on the lower balcony. Please come with us." As Olivia and her friends stepped forward, they were surrounded by bouncers that helped them move through the crowd.

"Do they do this for everyone?" Abby shouted in Olivia's ear to be heard over the music. Olivia shrugged her shoulders. The security presence felt a little like overkill and she had no doubt that one Fitzgerald Grant was behind all of the extra attention they were getting. While she was grateful not to have to fight her way through the crowd, she worried that this was more evidence of his controlling nature.

"I feel like a celebrity surrounded by all these men in black," Quinn squealed. "How did you get us on The List tonight?"

"I know someone that's friends with the DJ," Olivia responded, her eyes once again searching the upper balcony. Fitz was here, wasn't he? The point of asking him to get her on The List was so he would know where she was and they could sneak in some time together. He'd been a little cool at the office the past few days, but she assumed he was still unhappy with her decision to stay with Jake while she moved toward her independence. She tried to reassure him that Wednesday was a temporary setback, but she could tell a part of him had changed, hardened. She was looking forward to tonight as a reset of sorts. They needed some time to just be Olivia and Fitz, to give into their insane chemistry together and forget about everyone and everything else for a while.

Fitz felt his cellphone vibrate in his back pocket. He took out his phone and saw the notification was a message from Mark. Olivia was finally here. He'd been waiting for her arrival for over an hour. He was starting to get antsy and worried that she wouldn't show up. He unlocked his phone and read the message.

 _Mark: Your friends are here._

 _Mark: Please tell me the sexy redhead is your girl because one of her friends...gat damn. Shortie made me want to do things that would get me fired._

 _Fitz: LOL. I don't know the redhead. I only know Olivia._

 _Mark: Is she the sista?_

 _Fitz: Yes._

 _Mark: You're one lucky white boy._

 _Fitz: Trust me, I know. Thx 4 taking care of her._

 _Mark: No problem. My boys are going to have their hands full keeping men off of her tonight._

 _Fitz: Tell them 2 only step n if shes n trouble. Dont want her 2 feel smothered._

Excusing himself from his friends and the women they invited to the table, Fitz walked up to the balcony and began searching the crowd for Olivia. It didn't take long for him to spot the trio of beautiful women being escorted through the crowd by no less than six bouncers. Fitz chuckled to himself. Mark knew how to make an impression.

As the group reached the stairs, most of the bouncers fell off, allowing Fitz to get his first full glimpse of Olivia. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her hair was bone straight and her lips were stained a dark berry color. Even from across the club he could make out her smoky, sultry eyes. She was wearing a black micro mini dress that put all of her best assets on full display. His lust-filled eyes traveled down her body as she moved. The woman was a goddess and he couldn't believe she wanted him. His eyes fell to her feet and he felt a bulge form immediately in his pants. She was wearing his shoes, the ones he selected with images of them digging in his back as her brought her over the edge time and time again. She was trying to kill him, he knew it. There was no way he was getting through this night without having her.

He saw her turn in his direction, her eyes searching for him, and he stepped away from the balcony, concealing his location. He wasn't ready to reveal himself, not yet. He was content to watch her for a while. He quietly observed as Olivia and her friends were seated at their table and a bottle girl attended to them. He tore his eyes away from her for a moment and noticed her friends. Olivia was right, of course, her friends were both beautiful in their own right, but neither of them called to him the way she did. A few months ago, he would have been all over her slender friend with the alabaster skin and flaming red hair. But, today, with her seated beside Olivia all he could muster was a meh. The same was true for the curvy brunette currently throwing back shots. She was attractive sure, but she lacked the bold, confidence Olivia exuded.

Assured that things were going smoothly, he rejoined his party, keeping a watchful eye on Olivia and her friends.

"Is she here brotha?" asked his friend Stephen in a thick Scottish accent, a little heavier than usual, most likely to impress the woman seated in his lap, nibbling on his ear.

"Who?" Fitz replied, turning away from his friend distracted by motion at Olivia's table. The women were making their way to the dance floor. Fitz felt his body tense. She looked amazing and, while he knew she was dressed for him, no one else did. There would be nothing to prevent other men from approaching her, dancing with her, touching her. His finger flexed instinctively. He hadn't come to the club prepared to fight, but he wouldn't hesitate to defend her if it came to that. He felt his phone vibrate and snatched it from his pocket, laughing as he read the message.

 _Mark: Relax, man. We've got her. I have at least six pairs of eyes on her at all times. We can get to her in 20 seconds, less if she's in distress._

Fitz looked around the club and spotted Mark, positioned on the upper balcony so he could watch both him and Olivia. The two men exchanged briefs nods.

 _Fitz: Thx_

 _Mark: NP_

The woman in Stephen's lap hissed irritated as he sat her aside and leaned forward to Fitz. "Dude, this girl has you seriously fucked up. We haven't seen you in weeks. You finally call and tell us to meet you at Utopia only to spend the whole night looking at the door or at your phone. Who is she? I know it's not your fiancée. I want to meet this new mystery woman. If she's here, invite her up."

The woman seated next to Stephen scoffed in disgust. "Asshole," she said to no one in particular. "Let's go," she said to her friends, each of them taking a glass of champagne as they left.

"What was that all about?" Charlie asked, confused by the women's abrupt departure.

"I invited Fitz's mystery woman to join us and they got pissed and left. I don't know why. It's not like he was paying any of them any attention."

"I thought you were engaged. What happened to Mellie?" Charlie asked.

"She called off our engagement when the naked wine angel in my bed threw up on her favorite shoes."

"You fucked the girl from Cibo?" Charlie asked.

Fitz shrugged. "I told you I was. How many bottles of wine did we order that night just to make her fly? I hate wine," he said with a laugh.

Stephen laughed boisterously. "You owe me a thousand bucks," he said to Charlie. "I told you there was no way our boy was getting married, not even for control of his father's company."

"Damn it," Charlie grumbled reaching for his wallet and handing Stephen a wad of hundreds. Turning to Fitz, he said, "You're picking up the tab tonight."

"Don't I always?" Fitz asked. "You cheap bastards never pay."

"You should pay. We work hard for our money, you were born into yours."

Fitz playfully shoved Stephen. "She was right, you are an asshole."

"We can't all be good looks, charm, and daddy's money."

"You do realize I'm forty, right? I'm COO of one of the most successful design-build firms on the east coast. I stopped spending my father's money a long time ago."

"Doesn't he still sign your paychecks?" Charlie asked, laughing heartily.

"I've had enough of this abuse," Fitz said, rising from his seat. "I'm going to find Olivia."

"Wait...don't go, brotha. You know we kid because we love. Tell us about Olivia. Wait...Olivia? Isn't that your assistant? Your insanely gorgeous, but very married assistant?"

Fitz shoved his hand through his hair and plopped back down on the couch, grabbing his glass and emptying its contents in his mouth. "That's the one," he replied before telling his friends the abbreviated version of the last two months.

Olivia, Abby, and Quinn made their way to the dance floor, four bouncers helping them push their way through the crowd of desperate, but attractive women hanging out on the edge of the dance floor hoping to be invited to one of the VIP tables on that level. Olivia felt the tension in her body began to wash away as the bass line throbbed through her like a second pulse. Olivia loved to dance. She would dance with anyone, men, women, friends, strangers, usually it didn't matter to her. But, tonight she only wanted to be with one man and he was yet to make an appearance. Determined not to let his absence ruin her night, she began dancing by herself in the small opening the bouncers had cleared out on the floor. Taking her cue, Abby and Quinn started dancing with her and the bouncers fell back to their positions on the perimeter of the dance floor. Huck was good, seamlessly folding one song into the next. It didn't take long for Olivia to lose herself to the music, forgetting about everything except the beat pounding up through her high heels and reverberating through her body.

Olivia wasn't surprised when the first group of men approached and started dancing with them. She understood this was part of clubbing and didn't mind as long as they didn't insist on touching her in the wrong places. She understood the bump and grind of hip hop music, but was quick to dismiss a guy if he insisted on repeatedly grabbing her butt, was too rough with his handling of her or became aroused. She was too old to be having dry sex with a stranger in a night club.

Thirty minutes later, Olivia had grown annoyed at being grabbed and groped by the carousel of spoiled, entitled men that approached her. All she wanted right now was to go back to the table and drown her disappointment in a very expensive glass of red wine. Fitz hadn't shown up and, at this hour, she doubted he would. She'd intentionally let the last guy that approached her get a little handsy, dance a little too close, hoping to draw him out. It hadn't worked. Fitz was probably holed up in his condo with some blonde trying to forget about her.

Olivia looked over at her friends, both of whom were having fun dancing with two very attractive, undoubtedly very rich, men. She envied them a little, their freedom, their lack of commitments and obligations, and their ability to act on their desires. If they wanted these men, they'd have them and, if not, they would choose someone else or go home alone. The simplicity of it all made her bitter.

Olivia was moving toward her friends when she felt the fine hairs on the nape of her neck rise and her pulse race with anticipation as Fitz's presence enveloped her. She didn't know exactly where he was, but she could tell he was close. She was tempted to search the crowd for his face, but she didn't. Instead, she continued moving toward her friends, pretending she was unaffected by him even as her body yearned for his touch.

Fitz gave a chortle, watching as Olivia tried to ignore him. She knew he was there, he could tell. He halted his progress, waiting for her to be separated from her friends. He didn't know how much they knew and he didn't want to draw any unwanted attention their way. A group of young, intoxicated college girls pushed their way through the crowd, moving Olivia and her friends in opposite directions. Seizing the opportunity, he silently approached her from behind, resting his hands on her waist, carefully pulling her body into his.

Without turning around, Olivia reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers threading in the hair at his nape. She deliberately began to sway against him, allowing the throbbing beat to dictate her movements. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

"Hello, beautiful," he said, leaning down and kissing her on her shoulder. "You look amazing, easily the sexiest woman here tonight. But, you know that, don't you?"

"I worried I got all dressed up for nothing," she said with a slight pout. "Where have you been?"

"I was here when you and your friends, the redhead in the green dress to our left and the brunette in the silver dress directly across from us, arrived."

"What took you so long to come to me?" she asked, slowly grinding against him in a tantalizingly erotic way.

Fitz released a low moan, his body responding to her delicious torture. "I was watching."

His response shocked Olivia, causing her to momentarily loose her rhythm. "I thought you were too possessive to be a voyeur," she purred.

"I am," he responded, his voice dripping with sex as he pressed against her, firmly grasping her undulating hips and holding her close to him. Her senses flooded with desire as she felt his need throbbing against her back. "I had to make sure you weren't followed."

She arched her back and pressed her butt against him. "Followed?" she asked innocently. "Who do you think would follow me?"

Fitz simply growled his response, refusing to utter his name in that moment. "If you were mine and you left the house dressed like this without me, you would have to be punished."

His sexy threat sent a chill snaking its way down her spine. "How exactly would you pun-

Olivia let out a small yelp as he swept her hair to the side and sank his teeth into her neck, the resulting sensation an intense mix of pain and pleasure that flooded her panties. "Mmmm...you smell heavenly," Fitz murmured against her neck before kissing the spot he just bit. He dragged his lips along the skin on her neck upwards towards her ear. Reminding himself to be gentle, he moved his hands along her delicate rib cage, pleased by the feel of her chest heaving as her breaths became ragged with arousal, and cupped her breasts. He traced his tongue along the outer shell of her ear before speaking. "I've found that orgasm denial is an effective way of discouraging naughty behavior," he said, his hot breath tickling her skin.

She flipped around in his arms so she could face him, her fingers once again finding purchase in his hair. She pressed herself against him and lowered his head so her lips brushed against his when she spoke. "You'd really deny me," she whined softly.

Olivia's eyes danced with delight when Fitz's hips involuntarily jerked against hers as she pushed him to his limit. He was painfully hard and knew he would have to leave her soon or risk dragging her into the nearest semi-private spot. "Not even I have the willpower to deny you. Denying your orgasm is a very different thing. Look it up," he instructed seductively before capturing her lips with his. He kissed her deeply, his tongue tangling with hers as he tasted the combination of tequila and her natural sweetness, claiming her as his for all to see. Olivia didn't flinch as she felt his hands creep under her dress and palm her ass, grinding her against him. Instead, she melted into him, kissing him back, giving herself to him. He pulled away from her suddenly, leaving her breathless and panting. "I should go. Your friends are headed this way."

"Don't go," she pled, already missing his warmth as his body began to separate from hers.

He looked deeply in her eyes, two huge chocolate pools drunk with lust as much as with alcohol. "I won't be far," he promised, kissing her again before moving into crowd.

Before she could chase him, she heard Abby's voice exclaim, "There you are," as she grabbed her by the wrist turning her to them.

"Who was that?" Quinn asked, watching the muscular back of the stranger as he disappeared into the sea of dancers.

Olivia shook her head, trying to clear the haze from her mind. "Nobody," she huffed. "Let's go back to the table. I need a drink."

Olivia and her friends were swapping stories about the men they danced with and throwing back tequila shots when Sammy approached their table carrying three bottles of Armand de Brignac Brut Rose Champagne. "Which one of you is the lucky woman or is it all three of you?"

"Excuse me?" Abby asked.

"I come bearing three bottle of champagne compliments of the infamous Fitzgerald Grant. One of you beautiful creatures has captured his attention. Whichever one of you it is, is about to have the best night of her life."

"What do you mean by that?" questioned Quinn.

"The man is a sex god. Rumor is he can make a woman cum without touching her," she explained, as she uncorked one of the bottles and started serving the effervescent liquid.

Abby sat up at attention, now intrigued. She was well aware of the rumors about Fitzgerald Grant's prowess. She wanted to meet him for years, but somehow their circles never overlapped. She thought about asking Olivia to introduce them, but didn't want her caught in the middle if things didn't go well. "Do you know this from experience?"

"No," Sammy said, smiling wickedly, "my wife would kill me, but Fitz is one of the good ones."

"How so?" Olivia chimed in, finally joining the conversation.

"He's a flirt, but he's respectful. He's not one of those rich guys that assumes because he's spending a lot of money he can have me too. You never see him forcing the issue. If the woman he's interested in turns him down, he moves on. Plus, he's very generous, the tip on these three bottles alone will pay my rent for the next three months. I can't risk that for one night, no matter how amazing I know that night will be.

"Wait...you just said you have a wife," Quinn pointed out.

Sammy laughed, shaking her head. She'd never understand straight people's obsession with putting people into sexual boxes. Why should she have to limit herself to one gender when she could have both? "I prefer being with women to having average sex with men. There's nothing average about Fitzgerald Grant." When she finished serving the champagne, she turned to Olivia. "Have fun tonight," she said, winking at her.

"How did you know it was me?"

Sammy smiled knowingly at her. "When I told your friends about the mythical being that is Fitzgerald Grant, they leaned forward in their seats, curious, intrigued, and a little disbelieving. You, however, remained relaxed and unfazed on the couch. There's only one explanation for that, you know unicorns exist because you know Fitz."

Olivia laughed nervously, trying to ignore the way her friends were looking at her. "We work together. I'm his assistant."

Sammy quietly observed the woman seated before her. Olivia either had the best job in the world or the worst. She wasn't sure which would be harder, resisting Fitz's advances or giving into them and maintaining a professional façade. Despite the wedding bands, she suspected Olivia had opted for the latter challenge. "Enjoy! I'll be back to check on you a little later."

As soon as Sammy was out of earshot, Abby lifted one of the bottles out of the ice bucket and examined the brilliant pink-gold bottle and prominent spades logo, whistling quietly. She turned her attention to Olivia, "The Ace of Spades; care to explain why your _boss_ just sent over three ten thousand dollar bottles of champagne?"

Olivia took a long sip from her glass, savoring the strawberry, cherry, and wood tones. Fitz was a man with impeccable taste in all things. "You're making it a bigger deal than it is. He's just being polite. We bumped into each other on the dance floor. I'm sure to him a ten thousand dollar bottle of champagne is the equivalent of a hundred dollar bottle for us. It's an indulgence for sure, but not one that's going to be more than a blip in the budget."

"I saw him bump into you. The two of you seemed mighty cozy for professional colleagues." Heat rushed to Olivia's face. How much did Abby see? She'd been so distracted by Fitz that she'd forgotten to pay attention to who was watching and limiting what her friends saw. Had Abby been watching the two of them the whole time?

"What are you talking about? What did I miss?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing-"

"Liv and her boss grinding all over each other. Judging from how he dances, Sammy may be right about his skills. I bet he's huge. He moves like a man with an anaconda in his pants. Oooh...do you have a dick pic?" Abby asked, tapping her fingers in glee.

"Abby!" Olivia scolded.

"What's wrong with you?" Quinn asked Abby. "Olivia's married, she's not like you with your stable of men. Not all of us are content to be married to our jobs. Some of us want companionship for longer than one night. You are better suited for Fitz than she is." Olivia's eyes flared with anger at the mention of Fitz being with another woman. "She and Jake have been married forever. They are the happiest, most in love couple I know."

Abby watched as Olivia fidgeted nervously with her wedding rings. "Now this all makes sense. The dress, the shoes, and the mysterious hook up from 'a guy that knows a guy'. One of those guys is Fitz, isn't it? Quinn and I are your cover story so you could be with him. Not that I'm complaining. You're welcome to use me anytime if you promise to take care of me like this," she said, leaning back on the couch and demonstratively sipping from her glass.

"Why are you always stirring up trouble?" Quinn asked Abby. "Olivia's not having an affair with her boss. Why would she? Have you seen Jake? He's perfect. They're perfect together."

"Have _you_ seen Fitz?" Abby countered, searching her clutch for her cellphone. She scrolled through images of Fitz until she found one from a golf charity event. He was captured in mid swing, the muscles in his arms and chest flexed and straining against his golf shirt. "This is Olivia's boss," she said thrusting her phone at Quinn, "the man the bottle girl just described as a sex god."

Quinn dismissed the photo. "It's probably airbrushed. No 'real' man looks like that."

"Let me see," Olivia said, reaching for the phone. She couldn't help the smile that lit up her face as she looked as the photo. "No," she said, laughing as Quinn shot Abby a victorious smirk. "The photo is not airbrushed," she continued. "He really looks like that." Abby laughed as Quinn's eyes widen in shock. "You should see him without the shirt," she said giggling as Quinn nearly choked on her champagne.

"Are you really -

"Relax, Quinn, I'm just kidding," Olivia interrupted her, mentally chastising herself for thinking she could tell her friends about her relationship with Fitz. She should have known Quinn wouldn't understand, that she would expect her to be the dutiful wife instead the dynamic, alive woman she was when she was with him. Abby, on the other hand, probably would encourage her to sleep with Fitz, but she'd never support Olivia's decision to leave Jake to be with him. Abby was in an abusive relationship during undergrad and generally mistrustful of men, but, for some reason, she liked Jake. Olivia put on a brave face, plastered on a fake smile, and addressed her friends. "But, he really does look like that. He doesn't need to be airbrushed."

"Why don't you invite him down so we can see for ourselves?" Abby proposed. "Or, better yet, asked him to send a dick pic.

"What?" Olivia asked, her eyes scanning the upper balcony, wondering where he was sitting and if he was watching her look for him. "He's my boss," she hissed. "I'm not asking him for a dick pic. He might send it."

"You're not the least bit curious?" Abby queried. "You had to feel it when you were dancing with him."

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek. Of course she was curious. She'd felt him pressed against her and caressed him through his clothes, but, thus far, that's all he'd allow her to do. Every time she made a move, he'd assert control of the situation and flip the focus to her. "He's a grown man; he can control himself. Plus, we weren't dancing that close."

"That's not what it looked like to me."

"How would you know? You had that young boy draped all over you. What happened to him anyway?"

"He was wearing a Fossil watch, just some tourist pretender. I'm done kissing frogs. I'm not sleeping with a man unless his net worth is at least eight figures," Abby explained with a laugh.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You can't judge a man's worth by the size of his wallet."

"How's the air up there on your high horse? You do know true love, soulmates, and all that romantic bullshit is just a myth. If that's what you're waiting for, you're going to be single forever. Ask Olivia, she's married and even she doesn't believe in that crap. Relationships are partnerships and I'm looking for an equity partner. Speaking of which, hand me your phone Liv."

Olivia frowned. "Why do you need my phone?"

"I'm going to text Fitz."

"I'm not giving you my phone so you can text Fitz."

"Fine, then you text him. Quinn and I want to meet the unicorn."

Olivia looked at Quinn, who nodded eagerly and said, "It would be rude not to thank him for the champagne."

"Fine," Olivia said, reaching for her phone, "but I can't promise he'll answer. I'm sure his table is full of supermodels. He may not be interested in leaving them to join his assistant and her friends down here."

"Stop stalling and start typing," Quinn bossed sassily.

Olivia unlocked her phone and quickly typed a message.

 _Olivia: Ace of Spades? Really? I thought we had an agreement. No spoiling or surprises 2night._

"That's done. Now, can we talk about something other than my marriage and my boss? Quinn, are you still dating Gideon?"

"We've been on a couple of dates, but," Quinn shrugged, "I don't know. Can a journalist and an Assistant State Attorney really make it work?"

"That's what you do, not who you are -

Olivia's statement was interrupted by her cellphone lighting up with a notification. "Is it him? What did he say?" Quinn asked.

Olivia checked her phone.

 _Fitz: U said that but I never agreed. Plus a bottle of champagne is hardly spoiling u. Im just making sure u stay hydrated._

She quickly typed.

 _Olivia: It was 3 bottles of ridiculously expensive champagne. Thank u but u don't have 2 spend ur $$ 2 impress me._

His response was almost immediate.

 _Fitz: I know. Thats what makes it fun._

"What is he saying?" Abby asked. "Is he coming?"

"Nothing. I was just thanked him for the champagne and gave him a hard time for being so grandiose. I haven't invited him."

"What are you waiting for? Invite him down or ask if we can come up. All he can say is no and, based on how quickly he's responding, I don't think he'll say no."

"I'm not sure it's a good idea. He's my boss. We've been drinking. I'm not sure I want to mix business and pleasure."

Abby was quick to interject, "Hand me your phone."

"I'm not giving you my phone."

"Then stop being a pussy and invite the sex god down for a drink."

Olivia laughed and started typing.

 _Olivia: My friends want 2 meet u._

 _Fitz: Meet me or ur boss?_

 _Olivia: U_

"Well..." Abby asked impatiently.

"He's thinking about it."

"What's there to think about?" Quinn inquired.

 _Fitz: Do they know?_

"Give me a second. He's trying to figure out what he's walking into. Let me respond to this message."

 _Olivia: Know what?_

 _Fitz: About us?_

 _Olivia: About us?_

 _Olivia: ?_

 _Olivia: JK. No. They r team Jake._

 _Fitz: Only cuz they havent met me._

Olivia couldn't help but laugh out loud. "What's so funny? Give me your phone. I want to see his messages." Abby demanded.

 _Fitz: Am I cumming n u?_

Olivia's eyes grew wide at Fitz's last message. "You are not getting my phone."

 _Olivia: :-o Not w/ my friends watching. Get ur sexy ass down here._

 _Fitz: U think my ass is sexy?_

 _Olivia: I think all of u is sexy. R u coming?_

 _Fitz: OMW_

"He's on his way down," Olivia declared. "Abby, I need you to be on your best behavior. I know you think he's some mythical being, but to me he's a very real person. Please don't embarrass me in front of my boss."

"Why are you singling me out?" Abby asked petulantly.

Olivia ignored Abby's attitude. "Because I know Quinn would never say or do anything inappropriate to a man she's meeting for the first time, especially not to my boss. You, on the other hand, are a wild card and have been since the day we met."

"Facts," Quinn chimed in.

Abby laughed. "Fine, I'll be good, but if he decides he wants to be bad, I'm going to follow him right down that little rabbit hole."

"When have you ever been good?" Quinn asked, making them both erupt into a fit of drunken giggles.

Olivia rolled her eyes, annoyed by Abby's behavior. Of all of the women in the club tonight, why did she assume that she would be the one that Fitz chose? Abby was gorgeous no doubt, but Olivia knew it would take lot more than that to capture Fitz's attention. Deciding to put an end to whatever Abby was planning before it started, she said, "It doesn't matter anyway. I think he's seeing someone."

"You think he's seeing someone or you know he is? Either way, it doesn't matter to me. I'm not trying to marry him, I just want to spend one night in his Wonderland.

"Abby," Quinn scolded.

"What? I'm only saying what I know both of you are thinking. We all know Fitz Grant's no saint. He's proud of his bachelor lifestyle."

"Drop it," Olivia growled when she saw Fitz approaching them. She watched as he swaggered up to their table, all six-feet-two inches of testosterone-filled man with his pretty boy face and the body of a god. Olivia's eyes glistened and her mouth watered at the sight. She wanted him in the worst way.

"Holy shit! That's your boss?" Quinn asked.

"I told you he didn't need to be airbrushed," Olivia replied with a giggle.

The group fell silent as Fitz arrived at the table. "Evening, ladies." He quieted a laugh as Olivia's friends sat in stunned silence. His eyes moved to Olivia and she confidently returned his gaze, boldly drawing him to her.

Abby was the first to recover, extending her hand towards him. "I'm Abigail Whelan, but my friends call me Abby."

He took her hand in both of his and squeezed tenderly. "It's nice to meet you, Abby."

"The pleasure is all mine, friend," she said, seductively uncrossing and re-crossing her legs.

This bitch, Olivia thought as Abby shamelessly flirted with Fitz. She knew introducing him to her friends before she could claim him as hers was a terrible idea. She didn't know how she long would be able to sit idly by watch Abby throw herself at him before she would be compelled to reveal the true nature of their relationship. For now, her best option was to ignore Abby's antics and hope Fitz would do the same.

Fitz pivoted his attention to the third woman seated at the table. "That must make you Quinn Perkins," he said, extending his hand.

Quinn grasped it, shaking it firmly. "It's nice to finally put a face to a name."

Fitz looked at her curiously. Did she really not know what he looked like before today? He released a low laugh. "I hope Liv has been kind to me."

"I'm always kind to you," Liv retorted.

Fitz settled on the couch beside Olivia, leaned over, and kissed her on the cheek. "Liv," he greeted her before taking a swallow from his drink and setting it on the table, staring at her with a wicked smile.

"Fitz," she responded, her eyes dancing with delight, her skin tingling under his gaze.

They were pulled from their reverie when Quinn asked, "In this era of me too are you really comfortable greeting your female employee with a kiss?"

Fitz swallowed thickly. Quinn was obviously aware of his reputation and was warning him away from her friend. "I would never harass an employee or any woman, least of all Olivia. She is much more to me than just an employee, she's a friend and trusted confidant. I would never touch her without her permission." Olivia once again felt heat rush to her face. Fitz found a way to declare her significance in his life without exposing their secret.

"Do you also have her husband's permission?"

"He doesn't need his per -

Fitz touched Olivia's arm, silencing her. He flashed Quinn a smile far more generous than he felt. "I know Jake well. We went to graduate school together. We now work in the same city, in the same industry. In fact, my work with Olivia closely resembles to work they did together. He understands better than anyone the intimacy that comes from spending eight to ten hours per day with another person. He knows what it means to consult with them about every deal and every decision, trusting them with your fears, weaknesses and insecurities. He also knows that relationship only works if you invest in each other personally and professionally. I know where the boundaries are, and, if I forget, Liv is quick to remind me."

"It sounds like you're on a very slippery slope. Did you know that more than forty percent of women choose a coworker for their first affair?"

"Quinn," Olivia barked.

Fitz laughed heartily. "You got all of that from a simple peck on the cheek. You must be Olivia's friends from law school."

"How did you know?"

"The cross examination and wild supposition gave you away."

Quinn blushed. "I'm sorry. It's an occupational hazard. I'm an Assistant State Attorney for Miami-Dade County."

"If you are anywhere near the bulldog in court as you are for your friends, I never want to be on the wrong side of the law. Turning to Abby he questioned. "And you?"

"I'm a partner at Crosby, Maxwell, and Turner. If you're ever in the market for new representation we'd love to pitch you."

"Thanks, but I prefer in-house counsel. I don't like to share." He briefly rested his hand on Olivia's leg as he reached for his drink. She knew his comment was directed at her as much as it was Abby.

"Feel free to call me if you change your mind."

"I won't. I'm a loyal guy," he said with a wink. Olivia looked at him with admiration. It couldn't be easy to sit there, have her friends challenge him, and not be able to fully defend himself. Thus far, he had appointed himself well. She hoped it continued because she wasn't ready for him to leave, not yet.

Fitz took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. "What are you drinking?" Abby asked.

"Scotch," Fitz and Olivia responded simultaneously.

"I have this fantasy that starts with me sitting down at a bar and ordering a Scotch neat and attracting the eye of a sexy, sophisticated stranger. But, in reality, I don't know the first thing about Scotch. I'd probably make a fool of myself," Abby said with a laugh.

Olivia looked at Fitz and crinkled her nose. "It's not my favorite, but I can drink it." He smiled as he recalled her stealing sips from his tumbler over the course of the weekend they spent together, eventually learning to appreciate the qualities of a good Scotch.

"Is it true that men find it sexy when a woman drinks their beverage of choice?" Quinn asked.

"I can't speak for all men, but I find it sexy when a confident woman sits at a bar and orders her favorite drink. For me, it's not the liquor, but her presence that's far more important. I'm attracted to a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it," Fitz responded, his eyes darting from Quinn to Olivia. "However, I will admit I find the taste of my drink on my girl incredibly hot."

As if on cue, Sammy walked up to the table carrying a bottle of Macallan 1851 Inspiration. "I thought I'd find you here." She sat the bottle and four tumblers on the table. "I brought extras in case you want to share," she said to Fitz. She poured a serving into a tumbler and handed it to Fitz. "Ladies?"

Fitz looked at Olivia and raised a questioning eyebrow. "No thanks," she said. "I'll stick with the champagne."

He brushed aside his disappointment at her response given what he'd just shared. "Abby? Quinn?"

"I'm game for anything," Abby said in a suggestive voice.

"I can't let you drink alone," Quinn added.

Sammy poured the liquid into two more tumblers and served them to the woman. "I'll be back to check on you soon."

Quinn was the first to sip her drink. The whiskey burned as it went down and she couldn't stifle a small cough. "Everyone responds like that the first time. Don't give up on it," Fitz said encouragingly.

Abby fared much better, savoring the rich liquid, allowing it to warm her from the inside. "It's not terrible."

"Not terrible?" Fitz repeated, feigning offense.

Abby took another sip, slowly warming up to drink. "It'll never be my first choice."

"But it's good enough use as a lure to catch a sexy, sophisticated stranger?" Fitz asked, making Olivia and Quinn laugh and Abby to shoot him a glare. "What?" he asked laughing. "I thought we were friends."

"So, we're friends now?" Abby asked with a devilish smirk.

Fitz looked at Olivia. She shrugged saying, "You got yourself into this. I trust you can get yourself out."

Never one to back down from a challenge, Fitz replied, "We're friends."

"Well then friend, she said with a sly smile, "is it true that you can make a woman cum without touching her?"

Fitz turned his head in Olivia's direction. "Why are you looking at me? I didn't tell her that. How would I know?"

Fitz narrowed his eyes in her direction, uncertain how to proceed. "Do you want me to answer her?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"They're your friends. How well do you want them to know me?"

"She's your friend now," Olivia answered, obviously enjoying his predicament.

"Well, friend, to my knowledge, I have never given a woman an orgasm without touching her," he said with a laugh. "It may not have felt like I was touching her or I may have touched her in places that aren't typically stimulated during sex, but I've found touch to be an essential part of the female orgasm.

Quinn's face scrunched in disgust. "So, you're one of those creepy toe suckers?"

Fitz laughed heartily. "No, not unless you're into that kind of thing," he said looking at Olivia with a devilish smile. "The female body is littered with erogenous zones. Most men are lazy. They don't take the time to truly study women, worship them. They are so focused on the destination that they don't take time to enjoy the journey. I've found that if you slow things down, study every nook and cranny of your partner's body, and pay attention to her reactions; you can heighten her pleasure to the point she will achieve orgasm from the slightest touch to that special place on her neck, eyelid, armpit, or a more obvious place."

Fitz watched the three women. He had their rapt attention, their faces were flushed, and their breathing labored. He studied Olivia. She was barely holding on, showing all of the telltale signs of arousal. He knew if he touched her now she would combust. She wanted him and he wanted nothing more than to give her what she wanted, but he didn't know how to get her away from her friends. His eyes darted around the club while he tried to come up with a plan. That's when he saw Jacci walking in their direction.

"Fuck," he said under his breath, but loud enough for Olivia to hear.

"What?" she asked.

"Yes."

"What?" she asked again.

Fitz deliberately looked at someone and then shifted his eyes to her. "Yes."

"Oh," she said, discretely looking over her shoulder in search of the woman Fitz was talking about. The club was packed and there were at least two dozen women in the area where he'd looked. Then she saw her, an attractive, slim brunette wearing a gold spandex mini dress that appeared to be headed for their table. "The bottle girl?"

"Yes."

"Why is she coming over here?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. She was supposed to be working the upper balcony. I'll get rid of her."

"Everything okay over there?" Abby asked, looking curiously at her friend and her boss having a hushed conversation.

"Everything is fine. Just roll with us. Okay?" Olivia answered, scooting closer to Fitz. He let his arm drop to her waist, pulling her closer. She stretched her left arm behind him, concealing her left hand and wedding bands. Olivia turned her focus solely to Fitz, leaning into him, sipping champagne and giggling softly at what he was saying. Quinn and Abby ignored the pair as if the scene unfolding before them were an everyday occurrence, looking up only when the empty handed server approached the table.

"Excuse me ladies," the young woman, said starring daggers at Olivia.

"We're not interested," Olivia said without looking at the woman.

Undeterred, the woman pressed on. "You haven't even heard what I'm offering. It's definitely an upgrade from your current situation."

"Nice to see you too, Jacci," Fitz said flatly as he and Olivia turned in the woman's direction.

"Fitz," she said coolly.

"You mentioned an upgrade?" Abby questioned.

Still looking at Olivia she said, "Mr. Wade would like to invite you and your friends to join him and his friends in The Nest."

The group of friends looked in the direction of the club's most exclusive party room, reserved for Miami's rich and famous. The Nest was located on the uppermost level of the club, extending above the dance floor, connected to the upper balcony by eight walkways that stretched from the room like spider legs. "Mr. Wade?" Olivia asked.

"Dwayne Wade, guard for the Mi-

"I know who he is," Olivia interrupted Fitz. "I'm just curious why she would think a married, aging basketball player would be an upgrade from our current company."

"Liv, it's The Nest, you have to at least consider it," Abby pleaded.

"If you want to go, go, I'm not stopping you."

"The invitation was to you and your friends. They can't get in without you," Jacci clarified.

"Liv," Quinn whined.

"Trust me," Jacci interjected, "just because Romeo here isn't wearing a ring doesn't mean he's available. He didn't even invite you up to his table with his friends. Is he at least picking up your tab?"

"There are multiple fallacies in your suggestions and questions. You assumed Fitz was the pursuer. He's at our table because we invited him to join us. I'm not some giggling debutant waiting for him to notice me and pluck me from the crowd. In that vein, I don't want or need him to pick up my tab. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I can also take care of him, if he would allow us it."

"I let you take care of me. You bought breakfast that one time," he said, dropping his face into the crook of her neck. Shielded from her friends, he sucked at her pulse point, making her squirm.

"Liv," Abby called sharply. "Focus!"

Fitz lifted his head and found Abby glaring at the two of them. "What's most appealing, The Nest or Dwayne Wayne and his entourage?" he asked.

"Fitz," Olivia warned, knowing where he was going.

Suddenly intrigued by Olivia's reaction to Fitz's question, Abby asked, "Why?"

"If it's the former, just name the date, obviously not tonight, and you and your friends can have The Nest. A special party for my new friends. It's not that big of a deal. If it's the latter then you have to work that out with Liv. The best I can offer tonight is hanging out with my friends and me in the DJ booth. If you're nice, Huck may put together a mix just for you ladies."

"You'd really cover the minimum?" Abby asked Fitz.

"It's a small price to pay to get to spend the rest of the night with this beautiful woman," he said looking at Olivia like she was his reason for being. A small tremor shot through her body as she simultaneously felt exposed and adored.

"Only one hundred and fifty thousand dollars," Jacci responded snarkily. Fitz narrowed his eyes in her direction. Why did she have to be so common?

Olivia looked at Jacci and snidely commented, "And you were concerned that he wasn't covering my tab."

Turning the conversation back to Fitz, Quinn asked, "Are your friends single? Do they look like you?"

"Are they in your tax bracket?" Abby added.

Fitz laughed and asked Olivia, "Where did you find them?"

"I wish I could blame it on the alcohol, but it wouldn't be much different if they were sober. Is Juan Carlos here?"

"No, he's working tonight. Stephen and Charlie are here."

"Oooh...Stephen...I could listen to that man read the phone book." Olivia looked at her friends and said, "He's gorgeous with this sexy accent that will make you melt." Fitz glared at her, his eyes burning with jealousy. "Relax, babe, you know I'm yours," she said, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. Turning to her friends, she said, "I don't know Charlie, but if he's anything like the rest of Fitz's friends you won't be disappointed."

"We're in!" they said together.

Fitz pulled out his phone to text Stephen and Charlie and ask them to meet him in the DJ booth. Olivia looked around distractedly, when her eyes landed on Jacci, she acted as if she was surprised to see her. "Why are you still here? Please tell Mr. Wade thank you, but I'm with someone else. You're dismissed," she said shooing her along.

Fitz laughed and asked, "Really?"

"Really," Olivia replied, reluctantly moving away from him. "She was all kinds of inappropriate."

"Friend of yours?" Abby asked Fitz.

"We spent a weekend together a couple of years ago. She wanted more. I didn't. She didn't take it well," he said with a shrug.

"That's why you can't sleep with the help. They start believing they can live with you in your world. I learned that lesson the hard way."

Fitz felt Olivia bristle beside him as her insecurities about their differences flared up. His blood boiled with anger that she would for a second think of herself as the help. He would not tolerate that kind of thinking. She was not now, nor had she ever been the help. She may not have accepted it yet, but she was the woman he was going to spend the rest of his life with. He grabbed her hand to get her attention. When she looked at him, he simply said, "Don't."

She extracted her hand from his, her eyes flickering between him and her friends. Before she could say something, Quinn spoke up. "The two of you looked mighty cozy just now," she said, her statement lingering in the air like a question.

"We should," Olivia answered. "It's an act we've done many times before. I can't tell you how many times I've had to chase away some turned out thot. Being his assistant is a full service job." Quinn gasped in shock. "Not like that," Olivia said in horror. "I only pretend to be his girl. I'm sure he has a harem somewhere to take care of those needs."

"Do you really think so little of me?"

"Yes," all three women said in unison before erupting into a fit of drunk giggles.

"The kiss was real," Quinn said, not dropping the subject.

"A harmless peck," Olivia dismissed. "A side effect of all the champagne."

Fitz raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? In that case I'm going to order three more bottles." Before Quinn could respond, he looked at her and said, "Relax, counselor, I'm just kidding. When the night is over, I will send Olivia home safely in your care. But, I am ordering more champagne." With that he discretely motioned for the nearby bouncer to approach the table. When the man arrived, he explained what he needed and patiently waited for the team to assemble.

Moments later the group was pushing their way through the crowd. When they arrived at the booth, they found Stephen and Charlie waiting for them. "You too pretty to push through a crowd? Afraid you're are going to be molested? You need security to escort you now?" Stephen teased Fitz.

"Damn," Abby hissed in Olivia's ear.

"Told you," she replied with a smirk.

Huck looked up from his table and nodded at Fitz, raising a finger and then gesturing for everyone to take a seat.

"I didn't want the ladies to get roughed up by the crowd," Fitz explained, stepping out of the way so Olivia and her friends could be seen.

"Well if it isn't the lovely Olivia Ballard. You are pure barry," Stephen said rising to his feet. He walked toward Olivia and embraced her tightly, winking at Fitz over her shoulder.

"You charming devil. I have no idea what you are saying, but I think I like it," Olivia responded, moving out of his embrace. "These are my friends Abby and Quinn."

"Ah...your friend's a ginger. Makes me a wee bit homesick. Did you know Scotland has more redheads than any other country?" Stephen asked, really hamming it up.

"You're from Chicago," Fitz retorted, rolling his eyes.

Charlie stood up and joined the group. "Hi, I'm Charlie and I don't know why I'm still friends with these two."

"How do you know each other?" Olivia asked, settling on the couch beside Fitz.

Charlie was the first to respond. "We went to high school together. He paid me to hack the school's computer system and change his Spanish grade our sophomore year."

Fitz laughed. "I was one of his first clients. He now runs one of Miami's most coveted cybersecurity firms."

"Are you the one responsible for the encryption, two factor authentication, and twelve character passwords at Grant Enterprises?" Olivia asked.

"Guilty as charged," he replied.

"Don't say that around Quinn. She's a Miami-Dade prosecutor."

Quinn blushed slightly. "Sounds like a good friend to have," Quinn added, taking a seat beside him.

"And you?" Abby asked Stephen.

"We went to undergrad together. I knew him when he was a pretentious, tortured and brooding artist."

"He skipped the starving part," Charlie interjected. Everyone laughed at Fitz's expense.

"I brought the three most beautiful women in the club to your table and this is how you thank me?"

"Thank you, Fitz," Stephen and Charlie sang in unison.

Fitz was rescued when his Huck joined the group. "Hey, I'm Huck," he said, awkwardly introducing himself.

"Amazing set," Liv complimented him. "I'd love to get a sneak peek at your playlist."

"I would show it to you, but then I'd have to kill you. Let me spin something for you. What year did you graduate from high school?" 

"2001." 

"That was a great year – Destiny's Child, Train, Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Nelly, Outkast. Lots of good things to work with. What's your favorite dance song right now?" 

"Slide," she answered without hesitation.

"Good choice. I'm going to play that next and then I'll play your mix. Have fun out there."

Olivia finished her drink and stood up from the couch. She looked at her friends and asked, "Are you coming?"

Abby and Quinn looked at her and then looked back at Stephen and Charlie. Reluctantly they answered in unison, "We're coming." 

Olivia turned and looked at Fitz, pouting playfully. "Are you really going to let me dance alone?"

"How could I resist that face?" He looked at his friends, "Gents, are you joining me or are you going to let me have these beautiful women all to myself?"

The two men eased off the couch and escorted the ladies onto the dance floor.

Thirty minutes later, the exhausted group collapsed onto the couches in the DJ booth. "That was wicked pissah," Olivia shouted to Huck, her Boston accent making a rare appearance.

Huck looked at Olivia with a confused frown. "It's a compliment. The best a girl from Boston can offer," Fitz explained.

Olivia looked at him with adoring eyes. He remembered. This wonderful man sitting beside her paid attention to all of the small details of her life and tucked them away for the future. He deserved so much more than he was getting from her right now. She had to find a way to show him how important he was to her. She needed him to know that she was all in even if her circumstances prevented them from being together the way he wanted. She looked at her friends, pleased to find that they were completely distracted by Stephen and Charlie. She reached across Fitz and took his tumbler off the table, finishing his drink.

Fitz watched her curiously, wondering what she was up to. Oliva gave him a slow, sexy smile, quietly challenging him. "I need to use the bathroom."

"What?"

"Will you escort me to the bathroom?" she asked with a devilish twinkle in her eye. 

"Wait here," he said, getting off the couch and walking toward Huck. Olivia watched as the two men had a hushed conversation. Her attention was piqued when Huck removed a silicon bracelet from his pocket and handed it to Fitz. Fitz nodded his thanks and returned to Olivia.

"Let's go," he said, extending a hand to Olivia and helping her off the couch.

Abby watched as the pair disappeared into the crowd. "What's up with those two?" she asked Stephen.

"What do you mean?" 

"They act more like a couple than colleagues." 

"I think you're reading too much into their interactions. Fitz isn't the guy everyone thinks he is." Abby looked at him in disbelief, causing Stephen to chuckle. "I'm not saying he doesn't live down to his reputation from time to time, but he wouldn't do that Olivia. They're just friends."

Abby absentmindedly sipped her champagne, not quite convinced by Stephen's denial. Everything about tonight seemed orchestrated to bring the two of them together in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicions. Olivia had worked for Fitz for years, but never once could she recall a story about them bumping into each other socially. She worried her friend was flirting with more trouble than she could handle with Fitz.

Fitz allowed Olivia to walk ahead of him, his hands resting on her waist, gently pushing her through the crowd. When he steered her toward a door marked private, she queried, "Fitz?"

Without responding, he brushed past her and waved the silicon bracelet in front of a small, nondescript black box on the wall. The red light on the box flashed green and Fitz opened the door. "This way," he said, taking her hand and leading her down the hallway. He stopped in front of the women's bathroom. "There you go."

Olivia pushed through the door and pulled him behind her, pausing briefly to lock the door.

"What the hell, L-

She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him toward her, her lips crashing onto his, her tongue quickly sliding into his mouth. He parted his lips and gently sucked her tongue into his mouth. He could taste the Scotch on her tongue, and his body quivered in response. His hands moved down to her butt and pulled her into him, making her completely aware of his hard presence.

She leaned her weight against him and he allowed her to walk him backwards. As the pair moved slowly into the room, a tangle of arms, legs, tongues, teeth and lips, her heel caught in a drain in the floor, causing them to stumble backwards into the wall. He laughed into her mouth. "You're drunk."

"I'm not drunk; I've been drinking. There's a difference. Don't worry, I'm sober enough to consent." She kissed him again. If possible, this kiss was greedier, needier than the first, her lips hungry and demanding against his. She pressed her body into his, her hips gyrating slowly against him driving him wild, the ridiculous height of her heels allowing her to brush against him in places she normally couldn't. Fitz tried to focus on anything other than the fire blazing within him from the friction their bodies created.

She kissed across his jaw and down to the spot where his pulse was pounding rapidly in his neck. He felt her nimble fingers at his chest, unbuttoning his shirt about halfway down and pushing it off his shoulders. Her hands slid over his exposed skin, delicately exploring the planes of his chest and shoulders. She kissed him along his collarbone and made her way back up to that spot. She placed her lips over that spot and sucked, hard. The little vixen was trying to mark him, but he made no effort to stop her. If this is what she needed to quiet her demons, he would willingly give it to her. He was surprised when she released him before he was marked, thinking maybe she just needed to know she could.

He didn't have much time to dwell on that thought because she'd drawn one of his nipples in her hot mouth making him groan with pleasure. She nipped roughly at the flat bud before swirling her tongue around the small peak, soothing the sting. She unbuttoned the rest of his shirt and ran her fingers along his taut chest and abdominal muscles, while her lips sought out his, drawing his tongue into her mouth. Her lips didn't linger on his mouth long and, soon, her fingers were replaced with her tongue.

"Liv, what are you doing?"

"I think you can figure that out for yourself," she said dropping to her knees, tracing his happy trail with her tongue. She tugged at the buckle of his belt with one hand and massaging him gently with the other.

He dropped his head back against the wall, unable to focus on anything other than the sensations she was creating with her hand. "Jesus," he cried when he felt her small hand snake into his boxer briefs and grab his rigid member acquainting herself with his size and length. Using her thumb, she smeared precum from his head over his entire length and stroked him ever so slowly. Struggling to regain control, he grabbed both of her hands, stilling their movements. Oh how he wanted her continue, but this wasn't how he wanted to remember the first time she took him in her mouth. "You can't. Not like this."

She looked up at him, hurt etched deeply in her face. Gently he pulled her to her feet. "You on your knees in some club bathroom. This is not who you are," he explained. "It's who you think I want you to be, but I don't. I'm yours. You don't have to do this."

"But, I want to -

He silenced her with a bruising kiss, lifting her into his arms, her legs wrapping instantly around his waist. He reversed their positions, so her back was pressed against the wall while his lips and tongue plundered her mouth. Desperate to feel him where she needed him most, she rocked her hips, rubbing herself against him. He lifted his mouth from hers and she cried out in disappointment.

His kissed his way down her throat to her covered breasts. She wasn't wearing a bra and he could feel her nipples harden from the attention. He drew the bud into his mouth and worked the tip through the material of her dress. Her breath caught in her lungs and she ground against him, desperate to find the right motion and the right pressure to bring her where she needed to be. Fitz knew he had to stop or risk embarrassing himself. It took all the control he could muster, but he pulled away, lowering her to her feet, ignoring her whimpers of protest.

He sank to his knees and pressed his face to her covered pubis. She shoved his head away. "I thought this isn't who we are."

"It's not who you are, but it is exactly who I am. Now, do you mind?" he asked her, trying to nudge her hand off his head. "I'm kind of busy here." Olivia didn't move, she didn't pull him to her nor did she push him away, she just remained still. "Livvie?" he questioned, seeking permission to proceed.

She sighed loudly. "This isn't right. It can't be one-sided. You can't push me away and expect me to welcome you. You can't have one set of rules for you and another for me."

"That's not what's happening here," he said, planting tender kisses across her abdomen while running his hands along the back of her thighs. "I've tasted you before and it would please me very much to do so again. Will you let me?" he asking, moving his hands to her hips and his fingertips underneath the edge of her thong. Olivia nodded silently and he slowly pulled the material down around her feet, discretely tucking it in his pocket.

Lifting one of her legs over his shoulder, he latched his mouth to her, his tongue expertly moving through her folds to find one of her spots. She cried out in pain and pleasure at the sudden overstimulation, shifting unsteadily on one high-heeled foot trying to get away from his mouth. Fitz grabbed her hips, balancing her against him and the wall. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

This time he approached her slowly, tenderly separating her folds with his tongue, lapping lightly at the sensitive bud buried there. When it became too much, he pulled back, careful to pay attention to her cues, his tongue stroking the inside of her slippery slit. "You are so fucking wet," he growled.

"Only for you," she purred.

Fitz made his tongue flat and wide, thrusting it through her slick, tight tissue, mimicking what he'd like to do to her with other parts of his body. She moaned softly, rocking with him as he repeatedly drove into her. He spread his long fingers over the tense muscles of her abdomen feeling the way they contracted and released as he worked her slowly. Listening to her body, he withdrew from her cavern allowed his tongue to slither through her folds and whirl around her clit. He'd find a spot that made her writhe against him needy and desperate and push her right to brink before backing off, driving her crazy.

Growing impatient with his teasing, she anchored herself with fists full of his hair and moved against his face, in rhythm with him, directing him where she needed him. He could tell from her movements she was close and, although he wasn't ready to stop, he knew she couldn't take much more. His tongue curled around her clit, sucking it into his greedy mouth. He flicked his tongue hard against her quivering clit a couple of times, giving her the stimulation she needed to find her release.

His greedy mouth wrecked her and she screamed his name as she came violently, her leg buckling, unable to support her. He eased her to the floor and into his embrace, holding her tightly, her small body jerking with aftershocks. He ran his fingers through her hair and placed feather light kisses down the side of her face. "Come home with me. Spend the night with me," he asked, his voice almost pleading.

She kissed him tenderly before letting her head fall to his shoulder. She couldn't look at him, not now when she knew she was hurting him after he was so generous with her. "I can't," she whispered. She felt his arms loosen their hold as he subconsciously prepared to let her go.

"Do you even want to?" he asked quietly.

Olivia felt her insides ripping to shreds. How could he even ask that question? She looked up at him, her eyes hooded from her orgasm and glassy from the alcohol. "Fitz," she exhaled, searching for the words to make him understand. "Every time we are together another part of me leaves him and becomes yours. Every time you touch me you leave an indelible memory that sustains me until the next time we can be together. Every time I walk away from you I am overwhelmed with guilt. Not because of what I'm doing to him, but because of what I'm doing to you. I want to go home with you, but we have to make the small, hard decisions now so the big decisions will be easier later."

Fitz placed his lips against her temple and kissed her tenderly. Then he cradled her head in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers. "I know." He pushed himself up from the floor. "Can you stand?" he asked leaning over her.

Olivia wrapped her arms around his neck and used him to pull herself into a standing position. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her dress was hiked up around her waist, her face was flushed, her hair was mussed, and her lips were swollen from his kisses. "I look like –

"Someone who's just had the most amazing orgasm."

Olivia shoved at him playfully. "I'm serious," she said, tugging down her dress. She looked around the floor, frowning when she didn't find what she was looking for. "Fitz, where are my underwear?"

"Why are you asking me?" he replied, feigning innocence.

Olivia pushed him away and finger combed her hair in the mirror before wiping away her lipstick.

"How do I look?" 

Fitz laughed. "Like someone who's just had the most amazing orgasm."

"Let's go lover boy," she said, pulling him out of the bathroom, laughing as he struggled to adjust himself before following her.

They were walking toward the DJ booth when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. "Liv, there you are," Abby shouted. "I been looking for you everywhere."

Olivia subconsciously distanced herself from Fitz. "I was in the bathroom." 

"I looked there," Abby said sternly, closely observed the pair. Olivia was practically glowing with heavy lidded eyes, but Fitz wasn't giving off the same post-coital vibe. Whatever was happening between them, it was more than friendship.

"I was in the employee's bathroom. Huck gave me his security bracelet so I didn't have to stand in line," Olivia explained. "What's wrong?"

"Quinn's sick. The lightweight never could hold her alcohol," she said, rolling her eyes. "We need to go." 

"Is she okay? Where is she?" 

"She's okay, for now, but we need to get her home. Charlie is sitting with her in the DJ booth while Stephen and I looked for you two." 

Olivia turned to Fitz. "I'm sorry. I've got to go."

"No need to apologize. Go, take care of your friend." 

Olivia looked up toward the lower balcony. "I have to go upstairs and close out our tab," she explained to Abby.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it," Fitz proposed. 

"Thank you for the offer, but I don't need you to cover our tab. They have my credit card. They can charge it. I just need to find our VIP host and get it back."

"Do you need it tomorrow?" Olivia paused, trying to think. Fitz reached into his pocket for his wallet. He removed a card and handed it to her. "Here, take this." 

"What's that?" Olivia asked, her confusion evident.

"It's my debit card. Take it; you already know the PIN. I'll have Sammy close out your tab and give me your card. We'll switch cards on Monday."

Olivia pushed his hand away. "I'm not taking your debit card. I don't want your money." 

"I know, that's why I'm trusting you with it."

"No," she said firmly. "I'll be fine without my credit card for the weekend. Just bring it to me on Monday." 

"Liv," Abby pressed. "We need to go."

"I'm coming." 

"At least take my car," Fitz offered. "Quinn is sick and you and Abby have been drinking. It's not safe for you to be in a strange car with some random man. I'll share a car with Stephen."

"Thanks," Olivia said, hugging him quickly before rushing off with Abby to find Quinn.

Abby and Oliva quickly gathered their things from the DJ booth and helped Quinn to the door. When they emerged from the club, Olivia quickly scanned the line of cars waiting at the curb, looking for Brian. When their eyes met, he opened the passenger and rear passenger doors and immediately headed toward them to help her with Quinn.

Olivia pointed to Fitz's Maybach. "There," she instructed Abby. "That's the one." 

"Liv, that's not our car," Abby protested.

"I know," Olivia snapped. "It's Fitz's."

Abby looked at her in shock. Before Liv could respond, Brian approached the trio. "Hi, Olivia," he said with his usual smile. Nodding toward Quinn, he said, "It looks like someone was overserved. May I?"

"Please," Olivia replied. Brian quickly scooped Quinn into his arms and carried her to the car, leaving Abby and Olivia behind.

Abby stepped in front of Olivia, cutting off her path to the car. "Liv, what's going on with you and Fitz? He's been a little too generous tonight. More generous that you would expect for a coworker or friend. Don't you think? First the champagne, I saw him try to give you his credit card, and now he is sending you home with his driver. Whose home are you going to, yours or Fitz's?" 

"What exactly are you trying to accuse me of?" Olivia hissed.

"I'm your friend. I'll always be on your side. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Olivia's eyes softened. "Fitz is not going to hurt me."

"Liv, you know who he is, what he's capable of doing. You can't trust him."

"That's all in his past. Fitz has changed. He isn't the man you think he is." Olivia looked up and saw Brian waiting outside the car, looking anxiously at Quinn in the backseat. "Can we talk about this later?" Olivia asked. "Right now we need to pray Quinn doesn't throw up in Fitz's car before we can get her home and in bed."

"Fine," Abby huffed, walking toward the car. "But, you can't avoid me forever. We're going to have this conversation." 

"I'm not trying to avoid you. We'll have lunch soon," Olivia promised, pulling Abby into a tight hug. 

With that, both women took their respective places in the car and Brian pulled away headed in the direction of Quinn's condo.

 **A/N: I'm going to stop there. I'm sorry to be away for so long. I hope the double chapter at least made up for some of the wait. I promise it won't be three months before I post my next chapter. As always, I love to read your thoughts about the chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I'm very sorry to be away so long, especially after promising I wouldn't be. Life has been incredibly busy, but mostly good, so I'm not complaining (but I understand why you guys are). My public thanks to those of you who took the time to check-in on me. You guys are the best! I hope you enjoy!  
**

Fitz was in his office on the phone when there was a light knock on the door. "Hold on a second, Dad." He cover the receiver with his hand and shouted, "If you're not Olivia, go away!" The door opened and Olivia slowly entered the room. "Dad, I have to go. I'll call you from the plane."

His father chuckled. "Give Olivia my regards. Is she traveling with you?"

"It's doubtful, but I'm going to give it my best shot. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye, son. Safe travels."

Fitz hung up the phone and rose from his desk, quickly crossing the room to where Olivia was standing. "Hello, beautiful."

"You didn't have to get off the phone. I was just checking to see if there was anything you needed before you left. Brian will be here to take you to the airport in twenty minutes."

"Remind me again why I'm traveling to DC in the middle of the day on Wednesday when my talk isn't until Thursday afternoon."

"You're going early to get settled in before you have to start making the rounds. You know, pressing the flesh and kissing babies."

"I'm trying to be CEO of my family's company, not run for president."

"Which is exactly why you're hosting this year's pre-conference dinner. I've been on the phone all morning with the restaurant's event planner making sure everything is in place for tonight. She seems competent enough and she'll be on-site tonight to make sure you have everything you need."

"She knows -

"That you're allergic to caraway, you hate Brussels sprouts, and you don't drink wine. Yes, she knows. She also knows you have a three drink limit tonight."

"Three drink limit? The whole point of these dinners is to brag about your company's accomplishments and to drink as much as you can on someone else's tab. Half of my colleagues will be drunk before the main course is served."

"That's the plan," she said, walking toward him. "People talk more when they've been drinking, a situation you can manipulate if you're sober enough to take advantage of it. The Board will announce the new CEO in less than two months. If they are seriously considering another candidate or have expressed concerns about your leadership, someone in this group will know. You can drink all you want when you have dinner with Harrison on Friday. Tonight, I need you to impress them with your business acumen, not your alcohol tolerance," she said, straightening his tie and smoothing his lapels.

"You know what would be really impressive?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. Olivia shot him an inquisitive look, but remained silent. "Having you with me as my beautiful co-host." He moved to kiss her, but she quickly slipped out of his embrace.

"We're at work," she hissed. "There are at least twenty people working within one hundred feet of that door."

"The only person bold enough to walk into my office without knocking is my father and he already knows about us," he said, walking to and locking the door. "Happy now?"

Olivia took a series of slow steps in his direction. "What would people think if they knew you were behind a locked door with your young, impressionable assistant?"

When she was close enough to touch, he grabbed her by the hips and pulled her into him. "You're not that young," he teased before crashing his lips onto hers. He loved how easily they came together, their lips moving in tandem against each other as if they were practiced lovers. As was wont to happen, the kiss quickly became heated, their tongues twirling around each other as they took turns dominating the kiss. The kiss lingered on, neither willing to let the other go. When they finally broke apart, she bit his bottom lip hard. "Ouch," he cried, sucking his lip into his mouth.

"That was for calling me old."

Fitz laughed. "I didn't call you old. I just pointed out that you're not some vulnerable teenage virgin." He lightly moved his hands over the curvy planes of her body, ultimately resting them on her bottom. He pulled her closer so she could feel him pressed against her. "You are more than capable of handling me."

Olivia stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "It'll be lonely here without you," she whined. She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his clean, masculine scent.

He wrapped her in his embrace, holding her close. "This doesn't have to be good-bye. You can come with me."

She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. She knew this was coming. He'd been dropping hints that he wanted her to travel with him all week. "I can't. Jake and his team will be there. Their talk is Friday afternoon."

"It's a big city. We can stay in another hotel across town. He'll never know you are there."

Olivia pulled slightly away from him. "And what am I supposed to do while you're at the conference? I'll be stuck hiding in the hotel room waiting for you to return."

"You don't have to hide in the hotel. You can do whatever you want. You can visit the museums and monuments, go on a shopping spree, you can have a relaxing spa day or you could do all three. Why don't you invite Abby and Quinn so you won't be alone?"

"They have jobs, Fitz. They can't just drop everything and fly to DC to babysit me. Even if they could, I won't risk being caught gallivanting around the city by Jake or one of his colleagues. I'm not going to embarrass him like that."

Fitz dropped his arms and walked away from her, staring out his office window. "I thought you were leaving him. Why does it matter how he finds out?"

Olivia released an exasperated sigh. Careful to modulate her tone, she said, "I hear you. You're frustrated with my decisions. Although I said I choose you, it still feels like I prioritize Jake over you. Things aren't unfolding the way you want and you're tired of waiting. If we're going to be together, you want it to happen now." Fitz turned around and faced Olivia, his surprise at her response evident by his expression.

"Did I miss anything?" she asked, smiling warmly at him.

Only that I'm falling in love with you and I'm terrified you'll never love me back, Fitz thought, but wouldn't dare say. "No, I think you covered it."

"Do you need me to go with you to DC?"

"What?" he asked, confused by her sudden change.

"Do you _need_ me to go with you to DC? If you need me to go, I'll leave now, go home, pack a bag, and meet you at the airport in an hour. However, if you just _want_ me to go, if going makes your life easier, but my absence doesn't materially change things; I'm asking you not to make this a 'you versus him' ultimatum." Olivia walked to him and held him around his waist. "I promise you that if it comes down to you versus him, I'm always, always going to pick you. Me staying in Miami is not me picking him. It's me picking us. I don't want to have to hide you, to be constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure someone's not watching us. I don't want to treat you like you're my dirty little secret when you're so much more."

Fitz wanted to believe she would choose him, but he could tell she was torn. He didn't blame her, not fully. She didn't go into the weekend they spent in the Hamptons expecting her life to change so dramatically. She'd given almost half of her life to Jake and now he was asking her to throw all of that away, asking her to trust that he could provide her with a better life, the life she deserved. However, it wasn't something he could give her, she had to take it and he wasn't convinced she would.

Olivia stretched up and kissed him with a fierce intensity. He allowed her to lead, letting her distract him with the desire he felt for her. He knew he should push her away, make her use her words instead of her body, but her needy whimpers and soft moans reverberated around him until possessing her was all he could think about. He lifted her onto his desk and wedged himself between her legs. Surprised when she suddenly pulled away, he blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to focus on her face. "What?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," she said, gently stroking his cheek. "I just need an answer. Do you need me to go with you?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation.

A brief look of disappointment flashed across Olivia's face. She used his tie to pull him closer and kissed him softly before easing off his desk. "I'll see you at the airport in an hour."

She had only taken a few steps towards the door when he called out, "Liv, wait." When she turned to face him, he ran his hand through his hair and said, "I'm sorry. I'm being a selfish jerk. I don't need you to go and I don't want you to go if you're not comfortable being there."

"Are you sure?" she asked cautiously, visibly relieved by his reversal, a fact he tried not to take personally.

"I'm sure," he replied, making no attempt to hide his disappointment.

"But?" she asked, hoping to prevent him from stewing in his feelings until she saw him again on Monday.

"I need more than stolen moments. I want to be with you and I need you to find a way for that to happen."

Olivia nodded solemnly. She heard him and understood where he was coming from, but she had no idea how to give him what he needed without raising suspicions about the change in their relationship. "I'll figure it out," she said, walking towards him, relieved when he opened his arms and wrapped her in his embrace.

He held her close and kissed her lightly on her temple. "I don't expect you to pack your things and move out. I understand we're not there yet. I just want you to give us a chance. We can start small. Let me cook you dinner next week."

"Do you cook?"

Fitz laughed. "No, but my chef does. I'll have her make whatever you like."

Olivia looked up at him in amusement. "It's a date." When Fitz lowered his head to kiss her, she quickly moved away from him. "You don't have time. Brian is downstairs waiting."

"He can wait. I'm not leaving without a proper good-bye," he said pulling her flush against him. "I'm going to miss you Olivia Pope."

"I'm going to miss you too," she replied, turning her face up to his, smiling sadly.

"Don't look so sad. I'll bring you something special from DC."

"All I need is you. Now, kiss me before I change my mind," she said with a laugh. He didn't need to be told twice, his lips meeting hers hungrily, kissing her breathless.

XXXX

After dinner, an exhausted Fitz opened his hotel room door and stepped inside. His eyes were immediately drawn to a bottle sitting on the bar with a large royal blue bow. He stepped toward it, his pulse racing when he noticed the attached card with his initials written on it in Olivia's elegant script. "Livvie," he called out hopefully, fending off disappointment when his call was met with silence. He picked up the bottle and hummed contentedly, she had spared no expense. It was exactly the kind of thing he would have done. He opened the card and read it.

 _Dear Mr. CEO,_

 _Congratulations on hosting your first corporate event as the soon to be head of Grant Enterprises. I'm sure every attendee walked away confident that you're ready to lead your family's company to future greatness. I hope every single detail of your evening was perfect, as you deserve nothing less. I can't wait for you to comes home and tell me all about it. Hugs and kisses!_

 _Yours Always,_

 _Olivia_

Yours always, he thought. Did she mean it? As much as he wanted to believe her, he wasn't convinced. She still seemed conflicted. It was as if something was still holding her back, tying her to Jake. He couldn't quite pinpoint what it was, but it seemed along the lines of duty or obligation. The one thing he was certain of was she wasn't in love with her husband, not anymore, if she ever had been. His patience was being tested, but the past few months taught him that pushing her only made her stubbornly dig in her very high heels. For now, they had to move at her pace. He reached for his phone and dialed her number.

"Hello," she answered groggily, her voice thick with sleep.

"Shit, Liv. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. What time is it?" he asked, looking at his watch, noting it was after one in the morning.

"No, it's fine. I'm up."

Fitz laughed. "Liar."

"Shut up. Did you get my gift? Cask strength, first fill, aged over an entire 24 years. It's your favorite, right?" she asked, her voice transitioning from sleepy to sultry.

"You got it right," he said, the low rumble of his baritone warming her insides. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you called. I hated that I couldn't be there for you tonight."

Fitz was tempted to correct her, to point out that she could have been there for him. She chose not to be. Instead, he accepted the scotch the way it was intended, as a peace offering. She was alone with him now, even if there were a thousand miles between them, and that's what was important. "Next time," he said softly, making his way to the bedroom. "I think I did okay without you tonight."

"I'm sure you did more than okay. I've seen you in social executive mode. You are confident and commanding, the consummate leader. You don't need me, the greatness in you is all yours. I didn't create it."

"But you do enhance it."

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Are you done for the night?"

"Yeah, I'm just going to have a nightcap and head to bed."

"Are you going to the bar?" she asked, insecurity creeping into her voice.

"Thanks to you, I don't have to. Have a drink with me, Livvie?"

"It's too late for me to have a drink, but I'll stay up with you."

"Give me a couple of minutes to get settled and I'll FaceTime you."

"I'll be waiting," she said before hanging up.

Fitz quickly changed into his pajamas, grabbed the bottle and a tumbler from the bar, poured himself a drink, and settled into bed before FaceTiming Olivia from his iPad.

His face lit up in a huge smile when she answered. She had her phone propped up on a pillow next to her so it looked like she was lying beside him. "Hello, beautiful," he greeted her while his finger traced the contours of her face on the screen. She was wearing a light pink silk cami, the thin straps of her top baring to him the delicate jut of her collarbones, the rounded slope of her shoulders, and her soft, but toned caramel arms. How could a woman just roused from her slumber look so perfect, so angelic?

"Why are you naked?" she asked, feigning moral outrage. "What kind of woman do you think I am?"

"I'm not naked," he said, laughing. He panned the camera over his body so she could see he was wearing pajama bottoms. His ears perked up when he thought he heard her moan softly. "Satisfied?"

"You're too far away for that," she teased.

"Liv..."

"I know," she said, quietly acknowledging she was the reason they were currently apart. "You travel a lot for work. We're going to have to get used to being apart."

"It feels like we spend more time apart than we do together."

Olivia took a deep breath, willing herself not to react to his provocation. Although they spent more time together than most couples, she knew he wanted to spend time with her outside of work. She wanted the same thing, she just needed time. "I don't want to fight. Maybe this was a bad idea. We both have early mornings."

"Liv, wait, I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated."

"You don't have to apologize. You were just being honest." Fitz looked at her through narrowed eyes. "What?" she asked.

"Are you ready to me honest with me?"

"Have I been dishonest with you?"

"No, but we both know there's a huge gulf between being dishonest and being honest. Let's try something new." Olivia groaned. "Hear me out. Let's agree to ask each other three questions about anything we want and the other person will answer honestly and candidly."

"What are we now, middle school kids playing truth or dare?"

"What I'm asking you to do will be much more challenging than being dared by your best friend to kiss a boy she knew you wanted to make out with."

Olivia laughed. "I haven't thought about Bobby Johnson in years. He was so nervous he nearly peed in his pants when I kissed him. I wonder what he's doing now."

"Liv," he warned.

She laughed off his threat. "You're so easy. The slightest mention of another man and you go all caveman. You're going to have to learn to control that."

"Like you weren't possessive when Jacci approached us in the club."

"That's different. You two have a history. Bobby is a boy I kissed in the seventh grade."

"Stop stalling. Are you willing to cooperate? It's just you, me, and the truth."

"I can ask anything I want?"

Fitz paused. "You can ask anything you want and I'll answer any question you ask, but I think there are some things better discussed in person so we can interact with each other." Olivia nodded along, reflecting on his words. "I'll let you ask the first question."

"Hmmm...three questions to discover your most guarded secrets," she said rubbing her hands in delight. "Ok...I'll start you off with a soft ball. Who are the three people that have had the greatest influence on your life?"

"My mom, of course. She's my best friend and the one person I know will love me unconditionally. She was there for me during my darkest days, letting me lean on her strength until I was strong enough to stand on my own. She's quietly and, at times, very annoyingly not so quietly cheered me on. She's been beside me to celebrate every significant milestone in my life."

Fitz looked at the screen and noticed Olivia's eyes were brimming with tears. He instinctively reached toward her image to comfort her, dropping his arm, when he realized his gesture was fruitless. Olivia quickly wiped the tears away before they could fall. "You're very lucky to have her. Don't ever take that for granted. Life can change quickly," she said with a weak smile. "Who's the second person?"

Fitz paused before responding, hating that she didn't give him an opportunity to comfort her, but understanding that's not what she needed in this moment. "Keith Duncan, he was my toughest professor and advisor at the GSD. He's the one who convinced me to take the job at Grant Enterprises when no one else would hire me. He continued to mentor me even after I graduated. I flew to Boston routinely during my first major design project for his guidance and advice. Without him, I would probably have opened up a small shop in Atlanta or D.C. and wouldn't be nearly as accomplished as I am today. The first thing I did when I got access to my trust fund was endow a professorship for him. He was the Fitzgerald Thomas Grant, III, Professor in Architecture for the last few years of his career. We still talk a couple of times a year and I was an annual guest lecturer in his class before he retired."

Olivia smiled warmly. "And the third?"

"Hugh Hefner," he deadpanned.

Olivia cackled. "I thought it was just you, me, and the truth."

"I am telling the truth. Hef is a legend and we have a lot in common. People get distracted by the parties, the women, and the magazine, but he was so much more. His life was a shining example that a man can be more than one thing. He was a trailblazer for diversity and inclusion. He was also a generous philanthropist, supporting dozens of legitimate causes. All of this while publicly challenging the notion that sex should be hidden in shame. Playboy is a far more structured way for a pre-teen boy to explore his sexuality than the internet porn today's pre-teens have access to. I may not agree with everything he said or did, but he led a sexual liberation movement that normalized behaviors we both enjoy very much," he said with a wicked smile.

"Sounds like the two of you are practically twins," Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

"No, there's one huge difference between us. I know ours is a bachelor's lifestyle. I would never expect you to share me with another woman. I've settled down. I'm ready for all of the things that come with being your partner. I'm just waiting for you to figure out what picking me means to you."

Olivia immediately alerted to Fitz's word choice. I've settled down, instead of I'm ready to settle down. Had he already given up his bachelor lifestyle? She assumed he was still sleeping with other women. They'd never discussed it, but it was the most likely scenario given his sexual appetites. Had he instead opted for self-imposed celibacy? Was he even capable of abstaining? Thinking back, his body had been extremely reactive lately, but she assumed that was the product of their insane chemistry. Was she wrong? Their relationship was in the fledgling stage and she was still married. She was in no position to expect this of him. Had he done it anyway? If so, why?

Fitz watched her closely. She had that cute furrow between her brows that appeared when she was working through something. "If you have a question, you can just ask it. You have two more."

Olivia narrowed her eyes and shook her head. "Nice try, mister. Ask your first question."

"If money were no object-" Olivia scoffed aloud. Fitz ignored her and continued, "-neither having it nor earning it, would you work and, if so, what would you do?"

"That sounded like two questions to me," she teased.

"It was one, compound question." Fitz laughed, the skin around his brilliant blue eyes crinkling at the corners. Olivia stared at him on her screen, allowing herself to get lost in his eyes. They were hypnotizing, care and affection pouring from them. She melted a little bit knowing these emotions were reserved solely for her. Was it too soon to feel this way? Neither one of them had uttered the word love, but lately she found herself thinking about it, a lot. "Liv," he called, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed to be caught staring at him. "I would be the managing partner at one of Miami's top law firms."

"Just like your dad."

Olivia's eyebrows lifted. "Was that another question?"

"No," he said, shaking his head at her precociousness. "That was a statement."

"Because I'm in a generous mood, I'm going to answer the question anyway. My dad was a criminal defense lawyer, one of the best in Boston." Fitz looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise. "He always said the deck was stacked in favor of the prosecution and the other side needed good people too. I only saw him in action once, but I know he was admired and feared by colleagues and opponents alike. The courtroom was his domain where he toyed with prosecutors, charmed judges, and enchanted jurors. The partners at his law firm hired me to intern for a couple of weeks between my junior and senior years of high school. I didn't do much work, but the stories they shared with me about my dad were both entertaining and illuminating. I will be forever grateful for the experience.

"However, I didn't find my calling in the courtroom. I'm much more comfortable in boardrooms and backrooms, leveraging my opponents and fighting for my clients. I'm a natural born negotiator." Fitz nodded his head in agreement. It was true and a skill that he'd relied on many times during the years they worked together. "In school, I loved the grind of big law. Although I was mostly tasked with grunt work, I found it fulfilling. There's nothing like staying up all night studying and finding an obscure precedent that gives your partner an edge, finding and closing a loophole that could have cost your client or watching your opponent, resigned to defeat, sign an agreement that he knows is not in his favor."

Fitz looked at her confused. "If you want to be a lawyer and you are a lawyer, why aren't you practicing law?"

"That was definitely a question," she said with a laugh.

"Indulge me," he replied.

"You already know the answer. I graduated from law school ten years ago. Even if by some miracle I could study for and pass the Bar, no one would hire a thirty-four year old first-year law associate."

"Why would you work for someone else when you could start your own firm? How much would it cost to build a firm with top-tier talent? Ten million dollars? One hundred?"

"Fitz," Olivia said sharply. "It doesn't work like that. You have to start at the bottom, work your way up, and build a reputation and a client roster before you branch out on your own. But, none of that matters, even if someone was willing to hire me, I would have to pass the Bar first. At this point, I doubt I could. I made a different decision. I choose a different path. I'm content with that."

"Are you?"

Olivia paused, closing her eyes. Over the years, she'd repeated those last three sentences until they'd become her mantra. Until she could almost believe she meant them, but she didn't, not really. She didn't finish undergraduate school in three years and kill herself to graduate at the top of her class in law school to be someone's assistant. She had dreams of being a big dog, but through her own decisions she found herself in a supporting role. Slowly, she opened her eyes and confidently looked at Fitz. "No."

Olivia watched as a lopsided grin spread across Fitz's face. "Well then, let's do something about it."

His smile was infectious and it wasn't long before Olivia found herself smiling back at him. He was five states away and he could still make her heart flutter with just one look. "Can we table this discussion until you return?"

"As you wish, but I'm not letting this go. I won't let you compromise yourself to support me, not any more. Your turn, what's your second question?"

"What's your biggest fear?"

Fitz paused and looked away from his iPad, reflecting on the question. After a few seconds, he focused once again on her image and responded, "In life or right now?"

"Are the answers different?"

"Yes."

"Will you answer both?"

"Are you asking for an extra question Ms. Pope?"

"Indulge me," she said, mimicking his earlier reply.

"If only you would allow it."

"Fitz..."

"You are the most stubborn person I've ever met. Is the thought of allowing me to take care of you really that offensive?"

"You know it's not. I just don't want to repeat the mistakes of my past."

"I'm not him. If anything, I want you to be more, not less," he replied, exasperated.

"Intellectually I know that, but emotionally I guess I'm still guarded. I'll work on it. Now, are you going to answer my question?"

Fitz exhaled loudly. "What is my biggest fear? In life, it's that I will prove myself to be the man my father thinks I am. I'm terrified that I will fail as the CEO and be the Grant that bankrupts the family company and ruins my family's reputation in the process. That somehow I'll find a way to let down the people that are counting on me. Grant Enterprises has more than five hundred employees. All of those people will depend on me and my decision making to provide for their families. What if I make a series of bad business deals or the economy tanks and I have to lay off people?"

"You won't," she interrupted.

"You can't know that."

"I do. Even if things get tight, you'll find a way to take care of your people. You do that now and there's no reason to expect that will change."

"What if, instead, I fail you or our kids? What if I'm so busy trying to conquer the business world that I don't make time for my family? I don't want to be the kind of man that misses birthdays, anniversaries, school plays, and lacrosse games. I want to be there when our children take their first steps and say their first words. I want to be there for knee scrapes, school dances, and heartbreaks. What if I can't balance both worlds?"

"You'll find a way to be present for your family and lead your company." Fitz winced when Olivia said your family instead of us. Did she not see herself as part of his family, part of his future? "You're going to need strong partners in business and at home, but you can do it. Working mothers have done it for years," she said with a smirk. "Was that your right now fear?"

"No, right now I'm afraid you and I don't want the same thing."

Olivia furrowed her brows in confusion. "What do you want?"

"You. All of you."

"Fitz..."

"Don't, you know I'm not trying to turn you into a stepford wife. I treasure and value your independence. I just want to be the place you call home, the place you come when it's your turn to be taken care of." Olivia's chocolate orbs flashed wide with panic. "What?" he asked, trying to conceal the hurt in his voice. "Is the thought of being with me really that bad?"

Olivia answered in a hushed, almost timid voice. "The thought of being with you, belonging to you, isn't bad at all. It's hard to imagine a more perfect partner. I never for a second question the sincerity of your intentions or your wish for us to lead happy and fulfilled lives. Most women would want to be in my position. Many have tried."

Fitz hung on her every word, relieved to learn that she truly saw him and recognized his value, his worth, as her partner. Olivia continued, "My alarm wasn't at the thought, but your word choice. Sometimes we're so in sync that it's scary. The night we had dinner with your parents was the first time I felt like you could be the place I finally found home." She focused her gaze on his eyes, her mouth relaxing into a smile. "We want the same thing. Your turn."

"Can you leave Jake?" he asked without hesitation, abruptly ending the tender moment they just shared.

Olivia scowled at him. "I just said -

"I know what you said. I also know that Jake, Winnie, and her kids are the only family you have. Judging from the fact that you didn't know where Winnie lived or that she was a grandmother, I am going to assume you've grown apart, giving Jake an even bigger presence. If I'm right, Jake is the only family you have and I know how important family is to you. Given all that you've lost and all that you've sacrificed to get where you are, can you really just walk away from your life with him?"

Olivia's eyes drifted to Jake's empty side of the bed. There was a time when she couldn't sleep without Jake beside her, but tonight she had fallen asleep without difficulty. It was just the latest example of how things had changed for her at home. When her eyes returned to the screen they were distant and unfocused. "I was young when I got married, but I wasn't naive to the gravity of the vows I made. Since then, I've done lots of things the woman who made those promises couldn't fathom. I never thought I would prioritize my boss over my husband, but I did. I never thought I would find myself naked in bed with another man, but I have. I never thought I would be the reason why my marriage failed, but here we are. I've thoroughly broken every promise I made that day and I'm lying to everyone I claim to love. I've already left my family, they just don't know it yet," she said sadly.

The hurt in Olivia's eyes crushed Fitz and made him instantly regret asking the question. He didn't expect her answer to be so pained. He just needed reassurance that she wasn't toying with him. He knew that men seeking relationships outside of their marriage often deceived their mistresses, pretending to be more available than they were or planned to be. He needed her to be honest with him before he allowed himself to love her completely.

"If they love you, they will forgive you. You haven't done anything that can't be undone," he offered.

Olivia smiled weakly at Fitz. "I don't regret my decisions or my actions. I don't want to go back to the way things were. I just hate that finding my happiness will hurt people that I care about."

"People?"

"I'm the cheater, the homewrecker. Our mutual friends will side with him and my friends will be angry because I didn't trust them enough to tell them what was really going on with me. They will assume you paid me a little attention and I jumped in your bed, like a little wanton slut that couldn't keep her legs closed. At the end of this I will be alone. I know this and I'm trying to prepare myself for it."

"You won't be alone. I'll be with you."

Olivia smiled. "That's sweet, but you can't support me through my divorce."

"I can and I will. I want all of you, even the part that's mourning the death of a marriage you thought would last forever. I want to support you in whatever way you need me to. You won't be alone because I will be there for you. I also think you're underestimating your friends. Once they see us together, really together, they will understand we didn't have a choice. They will know choosing each other was our only option. Winnie understood this before we did. When she asked to speak to me, she didn't tell me to stay away from you because you were married. She asked me to put your happiness first and told me if I couldn't I should walk away. I'm still here and I'm not going anywhere. If you decide to leave him, it will be difficult, but, if you allow me to, I will spend the rest of my life proving to you and any other doubters that you made the right decision."

The depth and sincerity of every word Fitz spoke made Olivia's eyes well with tears as she felt herself falling deeper in love with this amazing man. He was unabashed about his desire for and devotion to her, simply refusing to allow her to doubt him for a second. As she stared at his image on her phone she regretted her decision not to join him. She could be there now in the safety and security of his embrace instead of alone in a place she no longer felt she belonged. He loved her, he didn't need to say it when he telegraphed it with his every word and action, and it was time she started showing him he wasn't alone in his feelings. "I'm sorry," she said.

"For what?" he asked, not following her.

"I should have said yes when you asked me to come with you. I should have been there for you tonight."

Fitz looked at her wistfully. "As much as I wish you were here with me tonight, I understand why you can't be. We can't get ahead of ourselves."

Olivia let out a long yawn, a bashful expression creepy across her face. "It's late, I should let you go," he offered, with a smirk.

"You owe me another question," she pouted.

"I'll answer whatever question you have tomorrow, but right now you need your rest. I'll call you in the morning."

"Stay with me until I fall asleep?" she asked, her eyes fluttering closed.

"For you," he said with a sly smile, "anything."

"Fitz?" she queried half asleep, her soft voice barely audibly.

"Yes," he answered curiously, sipping from his drink as he watched her drift away.

"I'm going to leave him."

"I know," he replied with a wide grin, finding her sleepy conversation adorable.

"Soon."

"I believe you," he whispered softly so as not to interrupt her soft snores. When he was certain she was asleep, he added, "I love you."

XXXXX

The rest of the week flew by quickly and before Olivia had too much time to stress about it, it was time for her lunch with Fitz's mom. After a quick pep talk from Fitz in the car, she entered the restaurant confidently and ready to handle whatever Anne threw her way.

"Olivia," Anne exclaimed rising from her chair.

Olivia walked to the older woman's side of the table and embraced her before kissing each cheek. "Mrs. Grant, it's great to see you again."

"Please, call me Anne." Olivia couldn't suppress the look of disbelief that flashed across her face. Fitz's mother smiled warmly, gesturing for Olivia to have a seat and continued, "We got off to a rocky start. I made assumptions about you because -

"I'm married," Olivia interrupted, boldly staring at her.

Anne chuckled. "No." Olivia looked at her through narrowed eyes. "You think you're the first compromised woman my son has brought home?" Olivia's skin flushed with the heat of embarrassment. Anne waited until Olivia made eye contact with her before speaking again. "I'm not blind to his faults and his selection of companions has been questionable at best in recent years. Fitz has shown up to our house and other events with all kinds of women, but he always does so boldly, practically daring someone to challenge him. With you, he is different, more guarded, and a little insecure."

"You thought I made him doubt himself so I could take advantage of him?"

"When I saw your wedding rings - yes - and they brought out my mama bear. He may be forty, but he's still my baby."

"You don't have to protect him from me. I would never hurt Fitz," Olivia volunteered, her voice quivering with emotion.

"You don't think he's hurting now?" Olivia gasped audibly in surprise. If Fitz was being hurt by their relationship, his mother would be the person he would confide in. Before Olivia could respond, a college-aged woman approached the table to fill their water goblets and take their drink order. "I'll have a rosé. And for you, dear? A Pinot, Malbec, or Cab?"

Olivia smiled at the server. "I'm fine with water for now." Turning to Anne, she explained, "I'm expected back in the office this afternoon." Satisfied with her reply, the young woman left to get their drinks.

"Now, where were we?"

"You were just accusing me of hurting your son -

"I don't think -

"No, let me finish. I get it; you don't like me. I don't blame you, not really. You think I'm a married Jezebel that can't be trusted with your son and nothing I can do today will change your mind. I'm okay with that, for now, but we have a bigger problem. You may not like me, but Stephen Merkle does and he's expecting a reprise of the performance Fitz and I put on in the Hamptons. I can do that, but Fitz won't be able to, not if we're at odds. You're far too important to him and he'll be torn between pleasing you and pretending with me. Stephen and Jean had us under a microscope the entire time we were in New York. If there is anything off between us, they will know immediately and it will only draw unwanted attention to our relationship. Regardless of how you feel about me, I think we both want the same thing for Fitz. Are you willing to work with me to do what's best for him?"

Anne looked at Olivia and laughed. This bitch, Olivia thought. Here she was, willing to suffer the indignity of humbling herself before a woman who hadn't even made an effort to get to know her before judging her and Anne had the audacity to laugh in her face. She removed her napkin from her lap, folding it neatly before placing it on the table. "Thank you for the invitation," she started, rising from her seat, "but I really should get back to the office."

"Sit down, Olivia," Anne said sternly. Determined not to make a scene, she remained still, glaring at the older woman. "Please," she said, nodding toward Olivia's now empty chair.

Olivia hesitated for moment before quietly taking a seat. This was Fitz's mother and, like it or not, if she was going to be in his life, she had to find a way to get along with this woman. "You accused me of not liking you," Anne offered, "but nothing could be further from the truth. I barely know you and I already like you more than any woman my son's brought home in the past ten years."

"But, you -

"I said Fitz is hurting. He is, we both know that, but he's also an adult that decided to pursue a relationship with you even though you're married. He's making this decision with his eyes wide open and, as I spend more time with you, I'm beginning to realize why. You're not a Jezebel. You're clearly devoted to my son. You're a woman in a difficult situation trying to make an impossible decision."

"Our situation is difficult, but the decision isn't impossible. I want to be, plan to be, with Fitz."

"Does your husband know this?"

Olivia sighed, fidgeting with the napkin in her lap. She felt like a new life was out there just waiting for her to grab it, but she couldn't do that until she let go of Jake. "Not yet, but he can tell things are different with me, between us. He's blaming Fitz and trying to be a better husband, but what's broken between us can't be fixed. I'm not the woman he thought he married, not any more. I probably never was. I plan to tell him, soon. The current situation isn't fair to anyone; not to Jake, and certainly not to Fitz. There are just some details I need to work out first."

"Details?" Anne asked. "That's what Tyler Avery is for. Just do what he tells you and everything will be fine."

"Who is Tyler Avery?"

"Your divorce lawyer. He's the best and most sought after attorney in Miami. There's nothing for you to worry about. He'll make sure you're protected and that you walk away with everything you're entitled to."

"I don't have a divorce lawyer and, if I did, it definitely wouldn't be Tyler Avery. Jake and I live a modest life, there's not a lot to fight over," Olivia said as her phone vibrated in her purse.

Anne chuckled. "That's probably Fitz checking to make sure we're getting along okay. You should answer, otherwise he'll just worry and keep calling."

Olivia ignored her phone and looked at Anne with cold eyes. "Fitz can't buy me from Jake nor can he bully him into a divorce. Was Tyler Avery your idea or his? Do I get a say about when and how I end my marriage or am I just expected to stay quiet and do as I'm told? Because that doesn't work for me. I won't be a spectator in my own life, not any more. I'm done letting others make decisions for me."

"Good for you," Anne replied bluntly. "No woman should settle for being ornamental in her life or relationship, especially not someone with as much potential as you clearly have. I'm just glad all that passion and fight is working with my son instead of against him. I gave Fitz Tyler's card because I thought it would be too forward of me to suggest a divorce after our first meeting, but you just admitted your marriage is over.

"Tyler is my lawyer - " It was Olivia's turn to be confused. As far as she knew, Anne and Big Gerry were Fitz's biological parents and had been married for more than forty years. Why would Anne have a divorce lawyer on retainer? " - and I know he will make sure you walk away from your marriage with everything you want and deserve. Although, I suggest walking away from everything and building a new life. Fighting with your husband about material things that can be easily replaced will only prolong the divorce proceedings."

The conversation was interrupted when the waitress returned to their table to take their lunch order. After both women ordered salads, the server departed leaving them alone. Stalling for time and hoping the conversation would move away from her marriage, Olivia took a sip from her water glass. Anne waited for her to finish and then asked, "Are you the reason why Fitz called off his engagement to Mellie?"

"What?" Olivia exclaimed sputtering. "No! Mellie caught him with someone else. It wasn't me."

Anne laughed at Olivia's reaction. "I know the story, but it doesn't make sense." Olivia looked at Anne quizzically. "Mellie and Fitz had an agreement - one that didn't require monogamy - that worked for both of them. Why would he violate that agreement a few days before he and his fiancée were expected in New York. He's smarter than that. Plus, he doesn't drink wine. How did he end up in bed with a wine angel?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"I'm wondering if my son blew up his life at the worst possible time intentionally. I'm wondering if he created the whole situation knowing you would be compelled to rescue him. Hoping that a couple of days alone with you would give him the opportunity to show you the man he could be, the man he wants to be for you."

Olivia reflected on their weekend in New York. The time they spent together as colleagues had done nothing to prepare her for the intensity of his affection. He was relentless in his efforts to show her she deserved happiness and that he was a man who understood her wants, needs, and desires. "Why would he take such a huge risk?"

"I think the answer to that question is obvious."

"It is?"

"Yes, he did it for you. You're the woman he's been waiting for since he lost..."

Olivia's eyes narrowed. She wondered if Elizabeth's specter would always hang over their relationship. She didn't know if could compete with a ghost for Fitz's heart and was anguished by the idea of being his consolation prize. She was pulled from her thoughts when the waitress approached their table carrying their salads.

Once the pair was served, Olivia spoke up. "For what it's worth, I don't think asking me to go to New York was pre-meditated." Anne raised a doubtful eyebrow at Olivia, making the younger woman laugh. "I was there. He was just as surprised as I was. I can't explain how it happened, but somehow we went from pretending to being real."

"When did you know something had changed?"

"There were little things along the way; the searing heat of his touch, how easily I folded into his embrace, the way I felt when he looked at me. I tried to brush those feelings away and it was working until Seth..." Olivia's trailed off. After a moment she looked up at Anne with tears glistening in her eyes. "No one's ever stood up for me like that before. It allowed me to really see him. Not the protective mask he wears, burying his pain in the alcohol, parties, and women, but the version of himself that he hides. We've both made mistakes in our past and with each other, but I believe we want the same things in life and can help each other realize our full potential. It doesn't hurt that he's also gorgeous," she said with a laugh.

"With a very generous trust fund," Anne added.

Olivia bristled. "I'm not interested in his money."

"Maybe not, but it won't take long to get used to having it. Being with him will completely change your life, but not all of the changes will be easy. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"No, but I know I want to be with him. I'll learn to live with the rest of it."

"He's slept with half of the women in Miami and the other half are lined up waiting their turn. They won't stop trying just because he's dating someone new. If anything, it will only make them bolder. The more unavailable he is, the more attractive he will be to them."

"I know," Olivia said evenly. "He has a system for letting me know when we encounter someone from his past and he says he's settled down. I trust him."

"Why?"

Olivia confidently held Anne's gaze. "Because he hasn't given me a reason not to. I'm the one that's living a lie, not him."

Olivia's phone vibrated again. Anne chuckled and said, "I told you he was going to keep trying. Are you going to answer him and tell him everything is fine?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"Whether or not you're done testing me. First, you made it seem like you disliked me so you could see how I would react to being challenged. Then, you tested my commitment to my marriage and how willing I am to let Fitz be the dominant partner and take care of me. Next, you suggested he's manipulating me and has an ulterior motive. After that you brought up his money and history of infidelity. You've done everything except offer me an obscene amount of money to leave him."

"Would it work?"

"No. Is that what you want? For me to leave him?"

Anne shook her head. "No, that's not what I want. Everything you've said today only reinforces my belief that you're in love with my son."

Olivia smiled warmly at Anne as she pushed her salad around her plate. She was yet to disclose her true feelings to Fitz. She wasn't going to tell his mother she loved him before she said the words to him and she didn't want to do that until she was free to be with him.

Anne studied Olivia closely. The young woman was holding something back. Was it possible that she and Fitz hadn't owned their truths with each other? If so, she wondered what they were waiting for. Despite Olivia's marital status, it was obvious they were a loving and committed couple. She couldn't figure out why they were wasting time being apart instead of together.

"Now, please text Fitz and let him know we are okay so he can stop worrying. We are okay, aren't we?"

"I think we are," Olivia replied with a genuine smile. She opened her purse and removed her phone noting she had two unread messages. She unlocked her phone and read the messages.

 _Fitz: How r things going?_

 _Fitz: Liv..._

Before she could type a response, a third message came through.

 _Fitz: Is everything ok? Im starting 2 worry. Do I need 2 come home?_

 _Olivia: U r n DC. Relax & let me take care of ur mom._

 _Fitz: 2 words...private jet._

 _Olivia: 3 words...consider it handled_

 _Fitz: Olivia_

 _Olivia: Fitzgerald_

 _Fitz: I wont allo mistreated, not even by my mom._

 _Olivia: She didnt mistreat me. She tested me. She said things that were hard 2 hear but true._

 _Fitz: Those arent my truths. Not anymore._

 _Olivia: But they r mine._

 _Fitz: Liv..._

 _Olivia: We r getting along fine now. We both want whats best 4 u._

 _Fitz: Ill b fine. I want whats best 4 u._

Olivia smiled reading his message. He never allowed her to doubt her role in his life for a second. She wondered if it would always be this way or if they too would fall into the complacent routine of being in a long-term relationship.

 _Olivia: Right now we need 2 focus on u._

 _Fitz: I can multitask._

Anne watched as Olivia intently read and responded to messages from her son. She didn't need to read the messages to know Fitz was reassuring Olivia that, whatever her differences were with his mother, he supported her. The moment was bittersweet for her. On the one hand, she was pleased Fitz had finally found the person with whom he wanted to share his life. On the other, although she knew it would happen one day, it hurt a little to know she was no longer the only woman in his life. She cleared her throat, hoping to interrupt the lovebirds.

Olivia looked up and smiled. "I'm sorry. You know how he can be. I had to tell him we were fine five times to stop him from flying home. Let me get rid of him so we can continue our lunch."

 _Olivia: Were being rude. I need 2 go. FT me 2night when u r getting ready 2 go out w/ Harrison._

 _Fitz: Y? R u hoping 2 c me naked?_

 _Olivia: Now that u mentioned it... ;-)_

 _Fitz: U dont have 2 b shy. Ill show u anything u want 2 c. Im urs._

 _Olivia: Remember that when those DC chics r throwing it u 2night._

 _Fitz: Im not interested. I only want u._

Olivia felt the now familiar butterflies swarm around in her stomach as her face flushed with heat. Would she ever get used to his declarations of devotion? He could have any woman he wanted and for some inexplicable reason he chose her with all her baggage. At times it felt too good to be true, but, somehow, it was. Fitzgerald Grant wanted her and he never missed an opportunity to show or tell her how much. She glanced up and found Anne staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "Everything okay, dear? You look a little flushed."

"I'm fine," Olivia replied, taking a sip of her water. "Give me one minute to wrap this up."

"Take your time. I'm the one who encouraged you to answer him."

 _Olivia: I have 2 go. Ur mom is looking me like she can read my mind. Its kinda creepy. TTYL._

 _Fitz: I miss u._

 _Olivia: Miss u 2. Hurry home._

 _Fitz: Ill b back 2morrow night. Can I c u?_

 _Olivia: Im having dinner w/ Abby. Maybe after._

 _Fitz : XOXO_

 _Olivia: :-)_

Olivia locked her screen and placed her phone back in her purse. "I'm sorry about that. Where were we?" she asked, reaching for her water glass.

"We were planning a wedding."

Olivia nearly choked. "A wedding?" she sputtered. "We're not ready for that."

Anne chuckled. "I know that, but the Merkles don't." Olivia laughed nervously, embarrassed by her overreaction. "You two had the brilliant idea to get engaged before your first date, so this is where we are. Jean knows I've been waiting for years to plan this wedding. She is going to expect details, so I'm going to need details. What are your thoughts about date, size, and location?"

"Fitz and I never got that far with our backstory. We didn't even have a meet cute story."

"Whatever you came up with obviously worked."

Olivia paused thinking back to that moment and the strange sensation that rose from her belly as Fitz waxed beautifully about the night they met. At the time, she was terrified by her reaction to his words, but now it warmed her heart to think about how fate brought him back into her life after missing her initial opportunity. "Your son has a way with words," she said shyly. "How about a June wedding? Every bride wants a June wedding, right?"

"June? Do you really think you can get everything done by June?"

"Any decent wedding planner can manage our timeline," Olivia dismissed.

"What about everything else?"

"Everything else?"

"Do you really think you can get divorced, engaged, and remarried in nine months?"

"Whoa! Fitz and I can't get married for real. We've only been on one date. We haven't even...we're still getting to know each other. Our engagement is pretend, a farce. We just need to keep up the charade long enough to find out what Stephen is planning. I thought you understood that."

"I understand more than you think. If your engagement is a farce, but your relationship is real, how do you plan to explain why you didn't get married?"

"We're going to -

"Break up?" Olivia paused as she considered Anne's question. That was the original plan, they would simply break up and call off their engagement. Neither one of them had stopped to consider what they were going to do now that things had changed between them. "Are you really going to let him go, even if it's only for show?"

"No," Olivia replied quickly.

"Well then, what's your plan?"

Olivia took a long pause. "I don't know. I need to talk with Fitz. We'll come up something. We just need to get through the next trip. Once we know why Stephen invited us to New York, we'll know what to do."

"What then?"

"Fitz's last engagement was a business arrangement. I have no interest in that. I won't marry him so he can close some business deal."

"No, but will you marry him because you love him?"

"Of course," Olivia said before sighing deeply, "but that won't be, can't be in June. He'll be a great husband and an even better father one day, but he's not ready for that now. I won't set him up to fail. I won't hurt him that way. We're not ready." Anne parted her lips to protest, but Olivia cut her off. "I promise you we'll work together to find a way to protect him and your family's company, but we won't do it as husband and wife. I've been taking care of him for the last four years. I'm not going to stop now."

Anne nodded, silently wondering how the couple planned to get themselves out of this mess of their own creation. She was reminded of the infamous line from Sir Walter Scott's poem that her grandmother often quoted: "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!"

"Well then," Anne said, "let's start planning the wedding of your dreams." A wedding she strongly suspected she would attend in the near future.

XXXXX

Fitz sat at the hotel bar nursing a scotch and flipping through photos of Olivia on his phone. Since he'd been gone, she'd stepped up her Instagram selfie game. His favorite photo was one of her stretched across her bed wearing only a Harvard GSD t-shirt with a message that read, "I only miss you when I'm breathing". The shirt was Jake's, but he knew the image and the message were only for him and it took all of his resolve not to comment on her photo. She was writing him a very public love letter and the audacity of her actions made him hopeful.

He missed her terribly, which was ridiculous given he had just ended their video call less than an hour ago. Being away from her these past few days had been harder than he'd imagined and the nearly constant texting, talking, and video chatting weren't helping. He wanted to hold her, needed to feel the warmth and comfort of her body pressed against his. He shook his head chuckling to himself, wondering when he'd become this person, this man that was utterly rudderless without her. A previous version of himself would have scoffed at the idea that this is who he'd become, but there was something so overwhelming about loving and being loved by her that he eagerly succumbed to the feeling rather than fight it. Olivia Pope was quickly becoming his drug of choice and he had no interest in fighting his addiction.

His quiet was rudely interrupted by a familiar, but unwelcome voice. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jake walking through the lobby with two attractive women, one blonde and the other brunette. Fitz knew the women were Jake's team members from their presentation earlier in the day. Fitz attended Jake's talk prepared to heckle him, but he was surprised to find the talk was well researched and informative. He quickly averted his eyes hoping not to be spotted. The last thing he wanted tonight was an encounter with Olivia's jealous husband. He knew it wasn't his night when he felt someone approach him from behind. He quickly blackened his screen, but not before Jake caught a glimpse of Olivia's image. "That one's my favorite."

"Excuse me?" Fitz asked, feigning ignorance.

"The photo of Olivia that you were just staring at like a lovesick puppy. Please tell me you're not sitting here, sad and lonely, sipping your drink and pining over my wife. Wishing you were the man she was missing."

"I don't pine," Fitz said with disdain. "I observe, I find an opportunity, and I take action. I'm a man that usually gets what he wants."

Jake chuckled. "You better find someone else to want. I don't know what happened between the two of you in the Hamptons, but whatever you pulled, it didn't work."

"She didn't tell you what happened? You didn't ask?"

"I'm not going to insult my wife by asking her if she slept with you. Besides, I didn't have to ask, her body fits mine like a glove. I would know if something happened between the two of you. Unless, the real reason you prefer strippers and whores is because they are the only ones willing to fake it with you."

"I'm not going to let you bait me into some pissing contest that ends up denigrating Olivia. She deserves better than that."

Jake scoffed. "Does this get you off? Sitting there with your smug smile, trying to get me doubt my wife."

"Why do you call her that?"

"Call her what?"

"My wife," Fitz replied using finger quotes.

"That's who she is. What else do you want me to call her?"

"Olivia, Liv, or the far more endearing Livvie. Your wife is what she is, not who she is. Olivia Pope" - Jake puffed out his chest, ready to challenge Fitz's use of her maiden name, causing Fitz to give him an amused smirk - "Ballard is so much more than _your_ wife."

Jake rolled his eyes. "You really don't know my...Olivia. If you did, you'd know never ever to call her Livvie. She hates it. Something to do with her parents," he said with a shrug. "You'd also know not to waste your time. She's like a penguin, she mates for life. It doesn't matter what you do or what you offer her, she's never going to leave me. Even if she tried, I wouldn't let her go. It took me years to transform her from the insecure and inexperienced girl I married to the confident, self-assured woman you know today. Now that she's perfect, don't think for a second I'm just going to hand her over to you because you asked nicely. I'll fight you for her with everything I have, but that won't be necessary because you've already lost. We're going to have a baby."

Fitz refused to bite, keeping his jealousy in check. He knew Olivia wasn't pregnant. They hadn't specifically discussed it, but he had every reason to believe her birth control was still intact. He decided to play along and have some fun at Jake's expense. He rose from his barstool and clapped Jake on his back hard enough to make him stagger. "Congratulations, man," he exclaimed excitedly. "Bartender, a glass of your best," he paused, turning to Jake, waiting for him to tell the man his preferred drink.

"Bourbon," Jake offered. Fitz couldn't help but wonder if Olivia drank bourbon because her husband did or if it was a happy coincidence that the couple enjoyed the same liquor.

"I'm really happy for the two of you. Liv will make a great mom. I can't believe she didn't tell me herself. She must be so excited. Is she having an easy pregnancy so far? She must be. We work so closely together, I can't believe I didn't notice any changes. I'm so dense. I'm sure she's glowing. When is she due?" Fitz babbled on, his body language dripping with false sincerity.

Jake shifted awkwardly on his feet and mumbled something under his breath.

Fitz leaned in his direction. "What? I didn't hear you."

"Liv's not pregnant. We're trying to have a baby. We're just not pregnant yet."

Fitz suppressed the urge to laugh in his face as the bartender handed Jake his glass.

"So...Liv's not pregnant?" Fitz asked, dragging out each word.

"Not yet, but we're trying," he added quickly.

Fitz leaned in close to Jake and, in a low, menacing voice, said, "If Liv's not pregnant, all you have is missionary sex under the covers in the dark. If you think that's enough to keep her away from me, you're the one that doesn't know her."

Fitz glanced up and saw Harrison walking towards them. He rose from his seated position and gestured for the bartender to bring the check. When the bartender slid him the check presenter, he covered it with his hand and said to Jake, "This has been fun, but I have to go. My dinner date is here." Pushing the folder toward Jake, he added, "Thanks for the drink. Let's do this again when she's actually pregnant." With that he quickly took his leave.

Jake opened the folder and saw the bill was more than a hundred dollars for two drinks. He shook his head in disgust, there was no way he'd be able to expense that. "Asshole," he shouted in frustration as he followed Fitz with his eyes to see the beauty that would be entertaining him tonight. Much to his surprise, Fitz walked up to and embraced an African-American male. The man was vaguely familiar, but Jake couldn't place him.

Across the bar, Fitz greeted Harrison with a bro hug. "Is that Jake Ballard?" Harrison asked with a laugh.

Fitz groaned. "Unfortunately, yes."

"What did you do to him now? Please tell me he's not still butt hurt because you slept with his mother."

"Nah, we've moved on from that. He's salty because he's worried his wife is going to leave him to be with me."

"Please tell me you're not cheating on Olivia with Jake's thot wife. She seemed like the kind of woman that could be your Michelle Obama." Fitz looked at Harrison in confusion. "You know, a woman that always has your back. One that's standing right beside you fighting for your dreams. Don't misunderstand, she's not along for the ride. She's gorgeous, smart, funny, and, if you're lucky, freaky. She doesn't need you, but she sees something in you and decides to take a leap and love you. That kind of woman is special, but she's not going to take your shit. You keep fucking around and you're going to lose her. Then another man will get your Michelle."

Fitz couldn't suppress the megawatt smile that spread across his lips as he listened to Harrison perfectly describe Olivia. "I'm not cheating on Olivia with Jake's wife. Olivia is Jake's wife."

Harrison shook his head in disbelief. "No wonder he hates you. All the women in Miami and you propose to his ex-wife?"

Fitz dropped his head. "Olivia's not my fiancée and she's not Jake's ex-wife. Her full name is Olivia Pope Ballard and she's currently married to that jackass."

Harrison cradled his face in his hands. "I'm so confused. If Olivia is Jake's wife, why was she pretending to be your fiancée in the Hamptons? You know what...don't answer that. I'm going to need a good steak and a stiff drink for this conversation. Where are we eating?"

"Liv made us a reservation at The Prime Rib. Did you drive?"

"I'm a man of the people. I took the subway," he answered with a chuckle.

All Fitz could do was laugh. "Let's go. I'm sure the concierge can find us a car."

Later, at the restaurant, Fitz filled Harrison in on the details about how he and Olivia came to pretend to be engaged in the Hamptons.

"So, the longing looks and the tender moments between the two of you that night were all for show, to convince Old Man Merkle you finally settled down with the most beautiful girl at the ball? For what gain?" Harrison asked.

"At first, we just wanted to represent Grant Enterprises and show Stephen and the other CEOs that I was their equal. Reputation is everything in this business and I wanted to show them that I was more than Big Gerry's disappointing son."

"You don't have to worry about that anymore. I hear Seth's wearing that mantle now. Daddy has him permanently assigned to the Boston office as the VP of purchasing paper clips. He's totally isolated from the decision makers. He might as well be in Siberia."

"The Boston office? Really? That's interesting. I wonder what he did to earn that." Fitz chewed on his bottom lip as he considered what Seth could have done for his father to push him out of his family company's leadership. He hadn't forgotten his promise to ruin him, but he'd been so distracted with work and Olivia that he hadn't had an opportunity to formulate a plan. Was someone else working against Seth? If so, was that person an ally or threat to him?

"I see your gears grinding. What's worrying you Grant?"

"Stephen invited Olivia, my parents, and I to New York in a couple of weeks. He's planning something, something big and I think I'm part of his plan. The problem is I don't know whether I'm a pawn or a rook. Have you heard anything?"

"You know I don't run in his circle, but I'll keep my ear the ground. Whatever it is, I'm sure you can handle yourself. If you need backup, I'm only a short train ride away, unless you want to loan me that fancy jet of yours," Harrison teased. "Is the incredibly sexy and enchanting Mrs. Ballard joining you?"

"Don't call her that," Fitz snarled.

Harrison's curiosity was piqued by Fitz's overreaction. Was there more to his relationship with Olivia than a business trip? Deciding to push his friend a bit, he said, "The two of you are good together. You certainly had me fooled. I thought my boy was ready to settle down and be an honest man."

"I am."

"What?" Harrison asked, genuinely surprised by Fitz's response. "I thought you were a bachelor for life."

"Me too, but I haven't been the same since that tiny woman agreed to be my weekend fiancée. I'm falling in love with her and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I'm not sure I would if I could. For the first time in a very long time I'm happy, she makes me happy without really trying. She's just her and that's enough. Things aren't perfect, obviously. She's still married, but I think we have a chance to have something really special."

Harrison looked closely at his friend. He looked happy and had an unusual calmness about him. He was normally always chasing the next - the next deal, the next rush, the next woman. But, tonight was different. The restaurant was filled with beautiful women, more than one of whom had tried to get his attention, but he was largely indifferent. At first, he thought he was playing hard to get, but now he knew his friend was at peace. "Is she here with you...or him?"

Fitz's eyes drifted away from Harrison as he lost focus for a brief moment. "No, she's home in Miami," he answered wistfully.

Harrison observed the Fitz's sudden sadness and wondered what the full story was. "Then, I only have one more question."

"What's that?"

"If Olivia is in Miami and Jake is in DC, why are you here with me instead of home with her?"

"That's an excellent question," Fitz replied with a devilish grin, reaching for his phone to instruct the pilot to start making preparations to return to Miami.

 **A/N: I want to thank all of you for following me through the last 22 chapters and tolerating my lengthy absences. It's Christmas and I believe I owe you (and Fitz) a gift. Coming up in the next chapter is the moment you've all been waiting for. I hope it doesn't disappoint. As always, I welcome your feedback good, bad, or otherwise.**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: I know, I know, I promised you this last week. I thank you for your patience and your encouraging words. You guys know how to keep me encouraged and writing. Please forgive any errors, I edited this on my iPad and rushed to get it posted today.**

 **One of you reached out to me and said you were having a difficult time and needed this chapter for an escape. I hope it provides some small measure of comfort. Enjoy!  
**

Olivia woke up early Saturday morning feeling recharged and ready to go. Fitz was returning to Miami tonight and she had tentative plans to see him after her dinner with Abby. Deciding the day would go by faster if she was productive, she was out of the house early. She was driving down Collins Avenue singing along with Ella Mai on her self-titled album, when a series of error messages and warnings lit up her dashboard. She felt her car decelerate despite pressing firmly on the gas pedal. Fighting against her rising panic, she eased her car to the shoulder of the busy highway.

"Damn it," Olivia cried out, slamming her fists on steering wheel. This was the last thing she needed today.

After several unsuccessful attempts to revive her car, she pulled out her cellphone and called Jake. After multiple rings, she was directed to his voicemail. She repeated the process with unanswered calls to Abby and Quinn. She quickly sent the three of them text messages asking them to call her. Deciding it was time to rescue herself, she opened her glovebox, pulled out her car's manual, and looked for her dealership's contact information.

She was in her car playing Candy Crush on her phone, waiting for the tow truck, when she felt the first trickle of sweat at her hairline. It was getting hotter in her car and she didn't know how much longer she could stay inside, but the prospect of standing on the side of the highway was even less appealing. It was time to call in the cavalry. She dialed one of the few numbers she had committed to memory.

"Hello," Fitz answered groggily, not even fully awake and already cranky.

"Fitz? Why does it sound like you're asleep? You're supposed to be at the president's breakfast."

"Who am I talking to?" Fitz asked, slowly waking up.

"It's me, Liv," she answered confused. "Is someone there with you?" She asked, jealously rising within her.

"I'm alone. Like I have been every night since you went home to your husband," he snarled. It wasn't his best moment, but he was tired and annoyed by her continued questioning of his fidelity when she was the one that slept beside another man every night.

Olivia gasped audibly, completely unnerved by his revelation. She thought about all of the times she'd implied or outright accused him of being with other women. Had she been wrong all this time? Why hadn't he said something sooner? Suddenly, she was awash with emotions. Fitz hadn't said anything sooner because although he'd made his wants and desires clear, he didn't want to pressure her to reciprocate his feelings. He was once again putting her first, at great sacrifice to himself. Suddenly, she felt like an ass.

Disappointed in himself for snapping at her, but lacking the energy to manage Olivia's feelings in this moment, Fitz pressed forward. "And I know who you are, Olivia Pope Ballard." She cringed at his use of her married name, something he never did. Was he reminding her that she was the one clinging to her commitment to another man? "I want to know what you are in this moment. Am I talking to my girlfriend or my assistant?"

"Fitz, I'm sorry. I didn't know -

"Am I talking to my girlfriend or my assistant?" he repeated.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, if this is my assistant calling to remind me of my schedule, I'm hanging up and going back to bed. If this is my girlfriend, I'm waking up to talk to her, but warning her I've yet to have my first cup of coffee and am working on less than four hours of sleep."

"Don't hang up," she said quickly. "I need your help."

Fully awake now, Fitz sat straight up in bed. "What's wrong? Where are you? I'm on my way."

"Calm down. I'm fine, it's my car that's the problem. I'm stranded on Collins Avenue and I can't get in touch with Abby or Quinn. I've called the dealership and they're sending a tow truck -

"I'm on my way."

Olivia laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. Even with your father's jet it will take you hours to get here. Will you call Brian and ask him to come get me? It's already eighty degrees here and my stupid car is dead so I can't roll down my windows. I'm baking in this death trap," she whined.

Fitz smiled, remembering she didn't know he was home. When he'd arrived early this morning he wanted nothing more than to crawl in bed with her. However, he knew she wouldn't allow him in her marriage bed and he didn't want to drag her out at that ungodly hour. Instead, he took an Uber home and crashed, planning to surprise her when he woke up. "Why didn't you call him directly?"

"I didn't want to be presumptuous," she said shyly. Although Fitz had fallen into the habit of calling her his girlfriend, she was unclear of their relationship status and didn't want to overstep. She didn't think Fitz would mind her borrowing Brian, especially since he was out of town, but she didn't want him to think she was in this relationship for anything other than him. His money and lifestyle were his and she didn't want to give the impression that she felt entitled to any of it.

"Nonsense, what's mine is yours. Plus, you know Brian would have said yes as a favor to you. He likes you. You're the only person in my life he calls by their first name. Send me a pin and I'll send it to him. He lives in Coral Gables so it's going to take him about thirty minutes to get to you."

"That's fine. I'm sure the tow truck will take longer. I would take an Uber home, but I don't want to abandon the car."

"No problem. I can't have my incredibly beautiful and sexy girlfriend stranded on the side of the road. Speaking of which, what are you wearing?"

"Fitz," she warned, rolling her eyes at his antics. "I'll see you tonight. I'll wear something special for you."

"Come on, Liv," Fitz whined. "Humor me."

"It's one hundred degrees in this car. I'm already frustrated. I don't need you adding to it."

"Please," he begged. "The sooner you tell me what you're wearing, the sooner I will hang up and call Brian to come get you."

"Fine," she huffed. "I'm wearing a Boston College t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. Happy?"

"Almost. What about your shoes?"

"You're being ridiculous," she complained.

"The longer I'm on the phone with you, the longer it will take for Brian to get there."

"I'm wearing Jordans. Satisfied?"

"Extremely," he said in a low growl.

"You are incorrigible. There is nothing sexy about my outfit."

"Maybe not, but the body underneath," he moaned in appreciation.

"I'm hanging up now," she said laughing. "I'll see you tonight. Call me when you land."

"Will do. I -," he began, cutting his sentence short when he realized what he almost said.

"Fitz?"

"I'm here," he replied.

"Everything ok?" she asked, oblivious to what almost transpired between them.

"Everything's fine. I should go so I can call Brian."

"OK. Bye."

"Bye." Fitz disconnected the call and flopped back on the bed, groaning in frustration. He had to be more careful. He wanted the moment when he finally declared his feelings to be special, not some reflexive statement at the end of a phone call.

His phone alerted him to an incoming text. It was Olivia's pin. He forwarded it to Brian with quick instructions before heading to his bathroom to get ready for the day.

XXXXX

Olivia heard the loud growl of another engine behind and checked her rearview mirror. She groaned in frustration as she watched a motorcycle pull over behind her car. The last thing she needed was a gearhead knight in leather armor riding to her rescue. She quickly exited the car and walked toward the motorcycle rider, careful to maintain a safe distance between her and the passing traffic.

The stranger dismounted the motorcycle and confidently swaggered toward her. He was a tall man, wearing dark jeans stretched tightly over his muscular thighs, a black leather jacket, and a dark helmet that concealed his face. Olivia nervously chewed on her bottom lip as he got closer. She never had a weakness for bad boys, but Fitz had awakened her libido and now it was running wild. When he was close, she felt her pulse begin to race and the butterflies swarm the way they always did whenever Fitz was near. Olivia shook her head to clear her thoughts. Get it together, Liv, Fitz doesn't have to star in all of your fantasies. Right now, you need to get rid of this man before Brian arrives.

She took a couple of quick steps toward him, talking as she moved. "Thank you for stopping, but I'm fine. I've already called a tow truck and my husband will be here any minute," she said, running her left hand through her natural curls, displaying her wedding rings.

The man removed his helmet, ruffled his hair, and flashed her a lopsided grin. "Will you settle for me instead?"

"Fitz!" Olivia exclaimed, leaping into his arms and peppering his face with kisses. He caught her with his free arm, chuckling at her exuberance. "You're supposed to be at the AIA conference."

"I was at the conference and now I'm here, with you." He kissed her softly on the lips, before moving to deepen the kiss, allowing her warmth to soothe him. It was good to be home. "I missed you," he whispered against her lips.

She smiled, gazing at him. "I missed you too," she said, pressing her lips to his again, her fingers threading into his soft curls. He kissed her like a man starved, a deep, endless kiss that made her want to crawl out of her skin and into his. God help her, this man. She'd never get enough of him. They were reminded where they were by a cacophony of whistles, horns blowing, and catcalls from passing drivers.

Fitz lowered her to the ground, letting her body slide down his in slow motion. "Hi."

"Hi." She took a step away from him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for you. I missed you so I flew home early. You look cute," he said, fingering one of her natural coils. Olivia frowned in that way that crinkled her nose, making Fitz laugh. "What? You do," he said, leaning forward and kissing her nose. "Between your hair and your outfit, you could be an undergrad. I like it."

Olivia rolled her eyes, choosing to ignore his comments about her appearance. "When did you get back?"

"I landed about four a.m."

"Why didn't you call me?" she pouted.

"It was four a.m.," he said, laughing. "I didn't want to wake you. What do you have planned today?"

"I'm spending time with you," she said with a huge grin. "Do you have something planned?"

"I thought we could spend the day together, maybe ride down to the Keys. I'll have you back before your dinner with Abby."

"On that thing?" she asked, gesturing toward his motorcycle. "Is that why you wanted to know what I was wearing?"

He nodded his head, shrugging off a backpack Olivia hadn't noticed he was wearing. "It's supposed to be a nice day, not too windy. It's a beautiful ride."

"I'm not exactly dressed for the beach."

"We'll get whatever we need there."

"Does that include a helmet?"

Fitz squatted down, unzipped the backpack, and handed Olivia a helmet and a small leather jacket. "Whose are these?" she asked.

"They're for you." Olivia looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "They're new. I bought them for you before I knew you were you." Olivia laughed. She held up the leather jacket, inspecting it, before slipping it on. "It may be a little big. I didn't know you would be so tiny," he said with a big grin.

"What about my car?"

"Brian's on his way. Just leave your key under the driver's floor mat." Olivia looked at him suspiciously. "What? It's not like someone can steal it?" he asked, laughing.

She walked back to the car and retrieved her Prada bag. "Where are you going with that?" he asked.

"You don't really expect me to leave my purse. Do you?"

"Just take out what you need and put it in your jacket pockets."

Olivia frowned at him. "I need all of it. Especially if we're going out of town."

"Olivia," he said exasperated. "It's just a day trip. You need your phone, wallet, and sunglasses. What else do you have in there?"

"My things. I need my things," she whined.

"You can't hold onto that thing and to me."

"Fine," she said petulantly, rummaging through her purse stuffing her pockets with random things.

Fitz watched on in amusement. "Are you ready?"

Olivia popped the trunk and dropped her purse inside. Fitz tossed in his backpack and slammed the trunk closed. "I'm ready," she said, placing the helmet on her head. Fitz helped her with her chinstrap, making sure the helmet was secure before putting on his own helmet. He mounted the bike and offered her a hand, helping her climb on behind him.

Fitz turned the key in the ignition and fired the engine with a practiced flick of his wrist. The motorcycle roared to life, sending a vibration surging from her core through the rest of her body. Olivia lurched forward and moaned lustily at the sudden feeling between her legs coupled with the feeling of her breasts and belly pressed against Fitz's taut muscles beneath his leather jacket.

Olivia startled at the sound of Fitz's rich laughter filling her helmet. "Are you okay back there?"

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Every second. Just hold on tight and you'll be fine."

Olivia wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging tightly to him. Fitz leaned forward over the motorcycle and took off, rocketing down the highway.

XXXXX

Fitz pulled the motorcycle into an available space at an open air farmers market and killed the ignition. He removed his helmet and then turned to help her remove hers. Olivia ran her fingers through her hair, pulling it into a messy bun on top of her hair, securing it with a hair tie she pulled from her pocket. Fitz laughed and asked, "What else do you have in those pockets?"

"I told you I needed my things," she said, accepting his hand as he helped her off the bike. Olivia stood on shaky legs, numb from squeezing him and the vibrations during the ninety minute ride.

Fitz immediately wrapped his arm around her waist holding her up. "Are okay? Can you walk?"

Olivia pushed away from him. "I'm fine. Why are we here?" she asked curiously.

Fitz shrugged. "I thought it would be nice to spend the day being tourists. You know, being anonymous, blending into the crowd, doing new things. Just enjoying each other and being a normal couple."

Olivia laughed. "A normal couple? Do you think we'll ever be a normal couple?"

"We can pretend," he said, intertwining his fingers with hers, the cool metal of her wedding bands resting against his flesh. He tried to tell himself her rings were a symbol of a commitment she'd already broken, but there were still times when the doubt crept in. "Liv," he called hesitantly. "I know I have no right to ask, but -

Olivia frowned. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he reassured her. He hated feeling so insecure, but he knew the constant reminder of her truth would eventually make him resentful and ruin their day. "It's just your wedding rings. I was wondering if you would -

She smiled, understanding what was troubling him. "Of course," she said, sliding the rings off her finger and putting them in her pocket. "Anything else?"

He grabbed her around the waist, pulled her close, and kissed her softly, before resting his forehead against hers. "Thank you," he said, pecking her lips again.

"I know this is hard -

"You're worth it. Do you want to go inside?"

Olivia nodded her head and Fitz led the way. The market was an outdoor oasis featuring colorful artwork and huge murals by local talent. Once inside, the couple wandered aimlessly hand in hand through the market stopping at random booths to sample the artisan cheeses, cured meats, baked goods, fresh juices, and organic produce. After taking a tour of the full market, they returned to their favorite stands to purchase bread, fruits, meats, and cheeses for a breakfast picnic.

They were sitting at a table under a tree enjoying the warm, but tolerable, weather and live music when Olivia's phone vibrated. She looked at her phone, debating whether or not to answer the unknown caller. "You should answer that," Fitz advised her. "It's probably the dealership calling about your car."

Olivia nodded and answered the phone. Fitz listened intently to her side of the conversation. When her face twisted in frustration, he plucked the phone from her hand and joined the conversation. "Fitz..." she protested.

"What?" he asked innocently, standing up from to table to prevent Olivia from reclaiming her phone.

Turning his attention to the caller, he began peppering the serviceman with questions? After a couple of minutes of negotiating, Fitz asked the man to hold on while he explained to Olivia. "They think they know what caused the problem. They can either fix it or, if you've lost confidence in the car, they have a new model they can deliver to your house tonight. How do you want to proceed?"

"I can't afford a new car. I still haven't finished paying for that one."

"We can afford anything you want."

"Fitz...I can't let you buy me a new car. How would I explain that?"

"You don't have to explain anything. Just tell the truth and we can be done with this charade. Aren't you tired of the lies? How much longer are you going to deny your happiness? Do you think you're protecting him, that waiting will somehow make this easier? The woman he loves is in love with someone else." Olivia gasped aloud. "What? That is what's happening between us, right? I certainly hope so. It wouldn't be worth the pain otherwise." Olivia looked at him in stunned silence, her eyes brimming with tears. Her selfishness was hurting everyone around her, but her cowardice prevented her from doing something about it. "It won't hurt any less to hear that from your lips next month than it will tomorrow. He's going to be devastated, there's no way around that."

Frustrated, Fitz returned to the call. "Just fix the car. Do whatever ever needs to be done. Charge it to this card," he said, rattling of his sixteen digit credit card number, expiration date, and three digit CVV from memory. After thanking the man for his patience, he disconnected the call. Before he could give the phone back to Olivia, it started vibrating in his hand. He looked down and saw a picture of smiling and very much in love Olivia in Jake's arms. "It's for you," he said giving her the phone before walking away.

Ten minutes later Olivia found Fitz leaning against his motorcycle, his hands shoved in his pockets. "Hi," she said.

Fitz paused a moment before replying. "Hi," he said his eyes not meeting hers. "Do you want me to take you home?"

Olivia closed the distance between them, invading his personal space. "Why would I want that?" Confused, his eyes found hers, hoping for a clue as to what she was thinking. "I'm sorry," she offered in a soft voice. "You were right. About all of it, but I can't, not yet."

"I shouldn't have pushed," he replied with a shy smile. "Come here." Olivia walked into his arms and let him hold her. He kissed her softly on the top of her head. "I'm sorry too. I just wanted to help, but my jealousy got in the way and ruined everything."

"You haven't ruined anything. I appreciate that you wanted to take care of me. It's going to take some time to adjust to your normal. In my world if something breaks, you fix it. In your world, you replace it." Fitz silently wondered if she was talking about her car or her marriage. "Thank you for rescuing me and for fixing my car," she said, leaning up and kissing him. "Now, can we go back to being tourists? What's next?"

"Have you ever fed a tarpon?"

"What?"

"Come on," he said releasing her and handing her her helmet. "It will be fun."

Olivia let her hair down, put on her jacket and helmet, and climbed on the motorcycle behind Fitz, holding him tighter than necessary. He placed his hands over hers and then she heard his smooth baritone in her helmet. "You're not alone. I'm in this with you." Without waiting for a response, he fired up the ignition and raced away from the farmers market.

XXXXX

They spent the rest of the morning driving down the Keys, stopping along way like tourists to feed the tarpons, visit the Dolphin Research Center and the Turtle Hospital, enjoy the breathtaking view from the seven mile bridge, and tour the home of Ernest Hemingway. They were both starving when Fitz stopped along a line of motorcycles in front of a bar with great reviews on Duval Street.

"Fitz," Olivia exclaimed through her headset. "You brought me to a motorcycle bar?"

"Not on purpose," he responded, removing his helmet and looking at the other motorcycles trying to get an understanding of what was waiting for them inside. Olivia removed her helmet and bounded toward the entrance. "Whoa," he called, catching up to her before she reached the door. "We don't know what's waiting for us in there. I know you're excited, but we need to be careful. There are all kinds of biker groups, not all of them will be friendly to us."

"To us or to me?" she asked huffily. "It's a public place. I'm as welcome as they are. I'm not going to let a bunch of racist assholes dictate what I can and cannot do. I'm going in and having a drink. Are you coming with me?"

Fitz reached out and grabbed Olivia's arm, preventing her from entering the bar. "I'm not risking your safety to prove a point."

"I'm going in that bar," she snarled.

"I know and I'm coming with you, but you have to promise to follow my lead. I'm not having any of that turn the other cheek bullshit. If someone so much as looks at you wrong, I'm going to put him and his friends down quickly. If I don't think I can keep you safe then we're leaving and you're not going to fight me on it. I swear to God I will pick you up and throw you over my shoulder caveman style if you try to fight me. Do you understand?"

Olivia stared at him with an open mouth. He was incredibly sexy when he was fiercely protective and knowing he would unleash all that barely contained testosterone fueled aggression for her made her tingle with desire. She had a half a mind to jump him right there on the sidewalk. "Do you understand?" Fitz repeated, pulling her out of her fantasy.

"I understand. Now, let's go inside. I'm starving."

Fitz opened the door and escorted Olivia inside. She nearly devolved into a fit of giggles when she saw twenty African American men ranging from their early twenties to their late sixties milling about the bar in leather vests with colorful patches. It was a black bikers' club. She turned to him and smiled. "Do I need to repeat that little speech to you? I'm not risking your safety to prove a point," she said, mocking him.

"Come on smart ass. Let's grab a table."

The couple found an empty table near the front of the bar, giving the bikers' club a wide berth. "What are you drinking?" Olivia asked.

"I don't drink when I ride."

"Are you impaired after one drink?"

"No, but I never have just one drink."

"Will you today?" she asked, with sad eyes that made it impossible to deny her. "I don't want to drink alone."

Fitz surveyed the bar, not finding any of the options particularly appealing. "I'll take the best scotch they have and a bacon cheeseburger with onion rings." Olivia crinkled her nose in disgust. "Make that fries. I don't want to kiss you with onion breath," he said with a chuckle.

After a quick eye roll, Olivia left him at the table and went to the bar to place their order. "I'll be with you in a sec," the bartender called. Olivia turned around and admired Fitz. He wasn't doing anything special, just sitting there looking delicious in his tight, white t-shirt. He looked content, happy even, but his reaction this morning proved that he wasn't, not fully. It was time for her to get out of her own way and meet him where he was. He wouldn't wait for her forever.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the bartender approached her. "What can I get you?"

Olivia faced the woman. "I'll take two bacon cheeseburgers with fries, a Patron margarita on the rocks, and your best scotch."

"This is not a scotch crowd. My best is Johnnie Walker Blue Label."

"He'll survive," Olivia said, handing the woman her credit card.

"You can put it on my tab," said the man seated at the bar near her, turning in his chair and raising his glass to her in a mock salute.

"Thanks, but that's not necessary. I have it."

"That's the problem and you don't even realize it."

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked, confused.

"Why doesn't he," the stranger nodded in Fitz's direction, "have it? You are together, right?"

"Excuse me?" Olivia asked again, her tone angry this time.

"That's what I don't understand about sisters like you. You tolerate behavior from white dudes that you would never accept from a brother. You are a beautiful, black queen and you deserve to be treated that way by all men. You could have any man you wanted. Why are you with that guy? He clearly doesn't appreciate you."

"So I should what, leave him? Why, because you offered to buy my lunch?

"It's more than he offered to do. A man that's selfish in one area is most likely selfish in other areas as well. Let me guess, he's a doctor or lawyer and he's convinced you that you're lucky to have him. He doesn't get a pass for how he treats you because of the size of his bank account. You don't have to settle."

Fitz had been watching the interaction between Olivia and the stranger from his seat. The interaction had grown tense, but she seemed to be holding her own. Using the bartender delivering their drinks as an excuse, he joined her, standing close, but not approaching or touching her. "You good?" he asked evenly.

"I'm fine. I'll be right there." Fitz opened his wallet and pulled out some money. "I already paid for lunch."

"You know I hate it when you do that," he said, putting cash on the bar. She raised an eyebrow at him. "For the bartender." He took his glass and returned to the table.

The man looked at her with a cocky grin. "That's the man you want to be with? One that doesn't care that you're standing here entertaining me when you should be over there with him. A real man, a black man, would have stood up for you instead of walking away from a challenge."

"Don't mistake his confidence for indifference. He asked if I needed help and I declined. You think you're the first man to approach me with this bullshit. He trusts me and he knows he doesn't have anything to worry about. He didn't need to get in some dick measuring competition with you. His is bigger. He knows it and he knows I know it. He doesn't need to prove it to you or anyone else in this bar."

Olivia turned to walk away when she felt a hand on her arm. Immediately, she heard the scrape of Fitz's chair as he leapt to his feet. She held up her hand, freezing him in place. "I said he wasn't possessive, not that he wasn't protective. I suggest you take your hand off of me before I let him come remove it for you," she growled in a low voice. Bowing to the pressure of Fitz glaring menacingly at him, he immediately released her, raising his hands in surrender. "Smart choice," she said, taking her drink and joining Fitz at the table.

"What was that about?" Fitz asked when she was seated.

"Apparently I'm a beautiful black queen and you don't deserve me."

"I know that," he said, giving her his trademark crooked grin. "But that doesn't explain why he touched you."

"It's no big deal," she said dismissively. "Let's not let it ruin our meal."

"He thinks he's more deserving? Why? Because he has more melanin than I do?"

"Let it go, Fitz. He's an asshole. It happens. It's best to just ignore guys like him."

Fitz started to speak, but paused when he saw the bartender approaching with their burgers. Once they were served, Fitz resumed the conversation. "Have you ever been with a black man?"

"What?" Olivia sputtered, nearly choking on a french fry. "Do you really want to compare sexual histories?"

"Hell no! I'm just asking about one time with one guy," he said , popping a fry in his mouth. "I know there was at least one boy at Cushing Academy, Italian boys during the summers, and Jake, but none of those guys were black or maybe they were."

"Fitz," Olivia called, stopping his spiral. "Why is this important to you?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

Olivia reached across the table and held his hand. "Talk to me," she said softly.

"I don't know."

"Just starting talking and we'll figure it out, together."

"When I was away all I could think about was getting home to you." Olivia looked at him patiently waiting for him to continue. "Then I rushed home to be with you, but I couldn't, not right away. So I waited. And then this morning, when I saw you, when you jumped in my arms, everything was perfect. I was home, not just in Miami, but with you."

"And now?"

"I don't know."

"Stop saying that. How are you feeling now?"

Fitz looked at her, holding her gaze as he struggled to find the right words. "Like a tourist." Olivia's eyes dropped to the table, unable to to look at him in that moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It's not you, you've done everything right. It's me. I can't get out of my head today and it's sabotaging our time together."

Olivia's eyes found his again. "You don't ever have to apologize for being honest." She stared at him for a moment, her eyes glistening with tears. She stood from her chair, walked around the table, and carefully lowered herself into his lap. "You are not a tourist and it breaks my heart to hear you say you feel that way," she said, kissing him tenderly, but briefly, mindful of their audience. "I don't want to be with a black man or any other man. I don't have wild oats to sow. If I'm a beautiful black queen," she said with a chuckle. "Then you are my king and the only man I want to do life with. Together, we are home, but we're still under construction. What can I do to make you feel as certain about that as I do?"

"Are you? Certain?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation. "Are you?"

"About how I feel or how you feel?"

"Both."

"I'm getting there," he said with a weak smile.

Olivia's heart sank at his reply. No matter what he said, she knew his insecurities had everything to do with her. Lately his messaging had been fairly consistent. He was tired of waiting and wanted her to act now. It was past time for her to make her move. She kissed him again before returning to her seat. "You should eat, your fries are getting cold."

After they finished eating, she asked, "What's next?"

"I thought we could spend the afternoon at the beach."

"We would need gear and it's not like we have a trunk to haul everything."

Fitz smiled. "Look around. This whole town is built to cater toward the impulsive vacationer. I'm sure there are thirty boutiques between here and the beach where we can get bathing suits and towels. We can put our suits on under our clothes and wedge the towels between our bodies on the bike. If we go to a public beach they have vendors there that will rent us whatever else we need. It's the off-season, how bad could it be?"

"You want to go to a public beach?" she asked incredulously.

"What's wrong with a public beach?"

"Nothing. It's just not a place I'd expect you to want to go."

"I don't think you give me enough credit," he said, taking her hand and pulling her up from the table. "Come on. Let's go. You have a bikini to buy."

Fitz excitedly dragged her out of the bar and helped her secure her helmet. This time there was no hesitation as she eagerly climbed onto the motorcycle and wrapped her arms around him. He fired up the motorcycle and carefully navigated into traffic.

XXXXX

They were lying side by side on their rented beach chairs under their rented umbrella, looking to all like any other normal couple enjoying themselves. "I've been with a black guy," Olivia spontaneously offered.

"Do I get details?"

"Some, not all. I was a freshman at Boston College and he was a first year law student at Harvard."

"You were dating Jake when you were a freshman at Boston College," he teased.

"Do you want the details or to judge me?" Fitz made the zipping his lips gesture and remained silent. "We dated for about six months before his mother decided that my pedigree wasn't good enough for her son."

"Your pedigree? Your mother was a college professor and your father was a lawyer. What more did she want?"

"Apparently little orphan Annie wouldn't play well as the backstory for a future First Lady?"

"She was one of _those_ moms."

"Don't say it like that. You have one of _those_ moms."

"I do not," he protested. "I'm living the life I want. My mom never tried to control me or dictate who I could date. She may not be shy in expressing her feelings about my choices, but she respects that they are my decisions to make. Do you know what happened to your mama's boy?"

"He's the junior senator from California."

"Shit, Liv. You dated Edison Davis? You really could have been First Lady." Fitz chuckled as if privy to an inside joke.

"What?" she asked.

"Harrison called you my Michelle Obama,"

Olivia laughed softly. "What prompted him to say that?"

"He thought I was cheating on you with Jake's wife."

"Huh?"

"It's a long story."

"Do I want to know?"

"Probably not."

"So..." she said, dragging out the word. "Back to me being your Michelle Obama."

"That's the thing, I don't think I want you to be my Michelle."

Olivia's head was spinning trying to keep up with the conversation. "You're going to have to use more words if you want me to understand."

"Everyone knows Michelle's biography. Princeton for undergrad and Harvard for law school. She worked as a lawyer and a hospital executive. However, when Barack ran for and was elected president, she gave up her career to be First Lady to the country and wife and mother for her family. I don't want that for you. I don't want you to ever have to decide between chasing your dreams and supporting mine. I want us to be more Jay-Z and Beyoncé than Barack and Michelle."

Olivia shook her head. "I'm a little worried that your relationship goals are based on celebrity couples."

"Hear me out. Beyoncé is a superstar. She's an incredibly talented artist, arguably the best at what she does, a wife, and mother. Jay-Z is a legend in his own right. He's one of the greatest MCs ever, a successful businessman, entrepreneur, husband, and father. Individually, as Jay-Z and Beyoncé they are among the greatest to do what they do, but together they're a billion dollars on the elevator. That could be us."

Olivia laughed heartily. "You need to spend less time at the club. We are not a billion dollars on the elevator." She sat up and looked at him over her sunglasses. "Are we?"

Fitz pushed up his sunglasses so she could see his eyes. "Not yet, but we could be," he said with a wink.

Olivia laid back on her chair. "Why can't this be our lives?" she whined. "No jobs, no responsibilities, and no obligations. Just the two of us doing whatever we wanted whenever we wanted."

"It could, but don't you think you'd get bored."

"I think we could find new and interesting ways to entertain ourselves," she said with a wink. "It's getting hot. I'm going for a swim. Do you want to join?"

"Nah, I'll stay here."

"Suit yourself," she said, walking gingerly through the hot sand.

Fitz watched as Olivia waded into the water until she was waist deep; then she dove under the surface and disappeared. She emerged moments later, her brown skin glistening with water droplets. She was always beautiful, but in this moment standing in with water, the sun reflecting off the water and in her eyes, she was radiant. All at once, the distance between them was too great to bear, dropping his sunglasses on his chair, he joined her in the water.

The couple enjoyed a lazy day at the beach, enjoying the sun, water, and each other. The tensions from earlier in the day had eased away and they were both able enjoy being with each other in the moment. They were flirty and a little handsy in the water, enough to satisfy their need for each other, but not so much as to draw the ire of the people around them. They were currently lying together on their towels letting the sun dry the ocean water from their skin.

Fitz sat up on his towel and leaned over Olivia. "You're blocking my sun," she protested.

"You're naturally tanned. You don't need the sun."

"I like the way it feels on my skin."

"I can think of better things to feel on your skin," he said, running his fingers along her inner thigh, stopping just short of where he wanted them."

Olivia shifted on her towel, moving his hand. "Behave," she warned. "We're in public. I don't think a public indecency charge would look good on either of our records."

"It's not my fault. You're just so damn tempting in that bikini. You bought the tiniest one you could find." Fitz looked up at the sky, the sun would be setting soon. As much as he hated it, it was time for their day together to end. "We should go. I need to get you back to Miami for your dinner with Abby."

"I don't want to go," she whined.

"Come on, Liv. Red already thinks I'm the bad guy. I can't give her any more ammunition against me."

"I don't care what she thinks," Olivia dismissed. "She's just being overprotective. I'm not some teenage girl with a crush. I don't need her mothering me. I know what I'm doing and I want to stay." Fitz stood up and dusted the sand off his hands before reaching down for Olivia. "Did you hear me? I want to stay here, with you."

"I heard you all three times, but we can't live on love alone. If you want to stay were going to need a room, clothes, food, and toiletries."

Olivia looked at him, her eyes stretched wide with surprise. "Are you just going to keep throwing that word around?"

"Do I have to strike the word from my vocabulary because you can't say it or hear it said to you?"

"No...but..."

"But what?"

Olivia shook her head. "I'm just not used to this version of you."

"Do you want me to reign it in? I can, if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No," she said, a smile slowly spreading upon her lips. "I think you're adorable when you're like this. Can we stay another hour?"

Fitz nodded. "Whatever you want, my lady," he said, settling back on the towel beside her.

Olivia snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Today has been wonderful, thank you. I think I'm starting to like it when you surprise me."

"Good because I plan to do it more often," he said kissing the top of her head.

XXXX

Fitz and Olivia were cruising around town, looking for a place to spend the night. They had already passed a dozen hotels, but none of them "spoke" to Olivia. Fitz's patience was wearing thin when heard her say, "What about that one on the left?" Fitz turned his head and saw, nestled discretely between the surrounding buildings, a sophisticated, but small hotel. If the inside was as beautiful as the structure, it would be perfect. "Do you think they have a room?"

"There's only one way to find out," he replied, navigating the motorcycle down the hidden driveway.

The couple walked hand in hand into the lobby. Once inside, Olivia turned around slowly, taking in the room. The interior did not disappoint. It was beautiful with crystal chandeliers, lots of natural light, fresh aromatic flowers, and modern furniture. It was formal, yet warm and inviting. Fitz walked up the young man working behind the registration desk. "Good afternoon, sir. Are you checking in?"

"We hope so, but we don't have a reservation. Do you have a room just for the night?"

"One moment, please. Let me check." The young man turned his attention to the computer screen. A few minutes later he looked up at Fitz. "I'm sorry, the only room we have available is the Bella Suite."

"We'll take it," Fitz replied.

"Sir, I should warn you the suite is approximately one thousand dollars a night."

"That's fine," Fitz said, reaching for his wallet.

Olivia placed her hand on his arm, "I've got it."

"Don't be ridiculous. It's no big deal."

"I want to take care of you tonight."

Fitz melted a little at her words. "I appreciate that, more than you know, but you can't," he said looking at her now bare ring finger on her left hand.

"Oh, right," Olivia commented, understanding what he was saying. If she paid for the room, she would have to explain to Jake why there was a thousand dollar hotel charge on their credit card statement.

After completing the registration process, the young man handed Fitz the room keys and asked, "Do you need someone to help you with your bags."

"We don't have any," Fitz replied with a chuckle. "That's our next adventure. It would be helpful if you would arrange for a car for us this evening."

The young man looked at the couple curiously. They didn't have a reservation, luggage, or a car, yet the man didn't blink when he told him the price of the room. He wonder exactly what was going on with them. "Of course, sir. Why don't you get settled into your room and I'll call you when your car is here."

"Thank you," Fitz said, before leading Olivia through the lush garden patio in search of their room.

Thirty minutes later, Fitz and Olivia were snuggling in the back of an Escalade, while their driver took them around town so they could get the supplies they needed for the night. First on their agenda was clothes. The driver pulled to a stop in front of a charming boutique. "I think the lady will find what she needs here," he said.

Fitz instructed the driver to wait for him while he got Olivia squared away in the shop. He took her hand and led her inside. Once inside, they both quickly scanned the clothing. "Do you think you can get what you need here?"

Olivia's fingers traced along the collar of a nearby shirt, gauging the quality of the material. The shop didn't have a wide variety of options, but Olivia liked what she saw so far. "I think so."

Fitz reached in his wallet, selected a credit card, and handed it to Olivia. "Here, use this to buy whatever you want. Call me when you're done and I'll come back for you."

"Fitz, they're not going to let me use your card."

"They will let you use that one. Trust me," he said, quickly pecking her on the lips before making his way out of the boutique.

Olivia shook her head and sighed. He was nearly impossible to deal with when he was like this. He had no concept of what it was like to exist in her world. She looked down at the black, metal credit card in her hand and gasped in surprised. The card was engraved with her name, Olivia Pope Ballard. He added her to his no-limit American Express account. That's why he'd been certain she would be able to use the card.

It was a big gesture and a clear indication of where he thought their relationship was headed. He wasn't waiting for her consent before moving their relationship forward. He was all in and he was going to keep proving it to her over and over again. She wished he knew that she didn't need anything of the trappings of his life. She only wanted him. Walking over to the closest salesperson, she pushing past her discomfort with his generosity and starting her shopping adventure.

Three stores later, she was back in the car with Fitz. "Did you get everything you needed?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you. Here," she said, reaching in her pocket and handing him the black card.

"Keep it. It's yours to use whenever you want for whatever you want."

"Fitz, you know I can't accept this," she said sternly, still extending the card.

"Are we really going to do this right here and now?"

"Yes," she replied harshly, refusing to concede on this issue.

Fitz took a deep breath, turned to her, and began explaining. "Olivia, I want to share my life with you. All of it, not just the parts you pick and choose. For better or worse, that includes the money. I'm a wealthy man and I want you to have access to all of things I have access to and I don't want you to have to come to me to get it. I'm your partner, not your keeper. I won't govern your life or your spending habits. If you want something, you should have it. It's just that simple. If you had that card this morning, you wouldn't have been on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Someone would have been there, immediately. This is not just what I want for you. It's what you deserve."

"It's too soon, you can't just -"

"I know you and I trust you. Having that card isn't going to change who you are. I travel a lot and I won't always be here to rescue you. I need to know you are taken care of even when I'm not around."

"Fine. If it means that much to you, I'll keep it, but I'm not going to use it," she said petulantly. Fitz shook his head. He couldn't figure out why Olivia was stubbornly clinging to her independence. He was trying to help her, not control her. "You had the card in your wallet today. You requested it before you knew I was stranded. This isn't about taking care of me."

"I ordered the card after you agreed to go to New York. Jean and my mom are likely going to drag you out with them and I didn't want you to have to pay for anything."

"I don't want your money."

"I know, but we're a package deal," he said flashing her a lopsided grin. "There's only one rule for the card."

"What's that?" she asked, crossing her arms defensively.

Fitz shook his head at her childish behavior. "You need to let me or my accountant know immediately if you lose the card or if it's stolen. You could buy a small island with that thing."

"Only a small island? What if I wanted to buy a large island?"

Fitz laughed. "Why would such a tiny little person need a large island?"

"I need space for my things." They both erupted into a fit a laughter at her clever reply.

XXXXX

Tired from their full day, Fitz and Olivia opted to have dinner at their hotel rather than going out. It turned out to be an excellent decision as their four course meal was divine, leaving them satisfied, but not stuffed. After dinner, they took a slow stroll around the property, walking through the gardens and past the pools. The evening air was a little cool, giving Olivia the perfect excuse to wrap herself in Fitz's arms. They were mostly quiet during the walk, not feeling a need to fill the space, enjoying the rare moment alone with each other.

Eventually, they made their way back to their room. "Do you mind if I get ready for bed first?" Olivia asked.

"Of course not," Fitz replied. Pulling her close and kissing her deeply before releasing her. "You are amazing."

"What did I do to deserve that?"

"Nothing and everything," he said, watching her walking into the bedroom.

He paused to pour a whiskey for himself and a glass of wine for Olivia before following her into the bedroom. He retrieved the remote from the nightstand and turned on the news before sitting down and enjoying his drink.

Olivia opened the bathroom door and stepped nervously into the bedroom. She found Fitz, fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed so engrossed in what he was watching on CNN that he didn't turn in her direction. "I always thought you were more of a Fox News guy," she teased.

Speaking as he turned toward her, he replied, "Not all of us are Repub-". His words caught in his throat as he took in the sight before him. Olivia was posed sexily in the doorframe, wearing only a cream lace bra and matching thong, her hair hanging free in its natural curls, and a light dusting of makeup on her face. Although she'd been in a similar state of undress for parts of the day, he was still caught off guard by her beauty.

"Fuck me," he whispered in a hushed voice as his blood rushed from one head to the other.

"That's the plan," she purred, slowly twisting her hips as she sauntered toward him, leaving no doubt about her intentions.

Fitz's normally bright eyes were dark with lust and he licked his lips as he watched his seducer stalk him. He was typically the dominant partner and this role reversal was nearly impossible for him. Left to his own devices, he'd rip off the rest of her clothes; toss her on the bed; pin her to the mattress face down, ass up; and drive himself into her until she begged for mercy. Yet, he sat still and silent, patiently waiting for Olivia to make her move.

He studied her closely, hoping for some clue about who she needed him to be tonight. The cream lingerie was a change for him. Most of the women he encountered wore red or black, but unsurprisingly Olivia made a different choice. He wondered if she picked the lingerie because of how the color complimented her skin tone, giving it a deeply attractive warmth. Or, was she sending him a message, highlighting her relative innocence. The thought of being her teacher excited him in ways he no longer thought was possible.

Olivia boldly stared directly into Fitz's eyes, hoping that her anxiety would not show. She was trying to appear sexy, confident, and in control, but her heart was thundering wildly in her chest. Did he want her as badly as she wanted him or would her reaction the last time they were together make him hesitant? She pushed away the negative thoughts and focused on the man in front of her. He was everything she'd ever wanted in a man and he was hers. Tonight, she would finally become his.

Fitz's hungry eyes scanned every inch of her as she approached him. He ached to feel the warmth of her exposed skin, as he explored the curves and valleys of her body. Every nerve-ending in his body was screaming for her touch by the time she reached him. "You are so beautiful," he choked out in a raspy baritone, his need for her stealing his ability to speak.

The intensity of Fitz's gaze fanned the flames of desire burning within her. Olivia could feel her arousal building, tightening into a heated coil that pulsed within her core. "You keep saying that and I may just start to believe you."

"You should; it's true." He pulled her onto his lap, guiding her hips with his hands. Taking his time, he threaded his fingers through her hair and lowered her face to his, brushing his lips against hers. Fitz's kiss was gentle and tender, his lips quietly seeking reassurance that he was what she wanted. His lips and tongue moved against hers slowly, but with a thoroughness that caressed every part of her mouth, his deliberate movements driving her wild.

Fitz's hands, now freed from her hair, started to slowly massage her shoulders and back, while his mouth traveled along her curves and edges, kissing her mouth, her jawline, her neck, and her ear. "This isn't why I asked you to spend the day with me," he said in the softest whisper against her ear, desperately trying to maintain control until he knew she was absolutely sure.

Olivia pulled away, looked down at him, and cradled his face in her hands, brushing her fingers lightly across the outer shell of his ear. She giggled softly as they turned a deeper shade of red, further telegraphing his desire. "But, it's exactly why I asked you to spend the night with me," she said in a breathy whisper against his ear. Her lithe fingers gently stroked his cheeks, as if to soothe the tension of the moment. "This is me choosing you and giving all of myself to you. That is," she paused, flashing him a wicked grin, "if you still want me."

In that moment, he knew he was lost to her forever. Once he claimed her as his own, there would never be another woman in his life. He was hers to do with as she wished and right now she was commanding his immediate attention. He lowered his hands to her hips and pulled her to him so she could feel how hard she made him. He kissed her deeply and passionately, using his lips, tongue, hands, and body, trying to tell her that she wasn't alone, to let her know just how badly he wanted her. "I will always want you, never doubt that," he whispered into her mouth before devouring it.

His tongue slid along the seam of her lips, demanding entrance, and she yielded to him. His fervor denied her attempts to breathe or protest, not that she would if she could. He poured his heart into the kiss, expressing all of the emotions he couldn't give voice to. Saying the words aloud in this moment was a risk he wasn't willing to take. Not yet. It was too soon and she wasn't ready to hear it. Olivia was his future and, if denying this indulgence now would help him secure that future, it was worth it.

Fitz skillfully unhooked her bra and she dropped her arms from around him, allowing the lace garment to fall between them. He stared at her, unabashed in his admiration of her beauty before lowering his mouth to her breast. He flicked his tongue over her stiff nipple, causing Olivia to cry out in pleasure. His eyes immediately snapped to hers and she smiled at him encouragingly, pulling his head back to her swollen breast.

A burning ache settled between Olivia's legs and she rocked slowly on his lap, rubbing against his covered erection. He could feel the heat of her core through his clothes, his shaft pulsing beneath her, begging for attention. Her nails dragged against his scalp as she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Feels so good," she moaned quietly.

"Wait for me," he quietly commanded.

"I don't know if I can," she replied, digging deep for the willpower to hold off the fire building within her.

"Damn it, Liv," he growled, tossing her onto her back. He rose up on his knees, his large frame looming over her much smaller one, looking at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. His future happiness was laid out in front of him, his for the taking. She was everything and, without her, he was certain he would cease to exist.

Holding her gaze, Fitz slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing one inch of hard flesh at a time until the shirt hung fully open, revealing the muscular planes of his chest and the cut sections of his abs. Olivia raked her fingers over his pecs, dragging her nails through his chest hair and down across his abs. He drew in a deep breath when she touched him, his abs tightening, his fingers digging into her hips.

Fitz moved to lower her thong down her legs and she lifted her hips, allowing him to slowly slide the flimsy material down her legs. He spread her legs wide so he could admire her. She was beautiful, absolute fucking perfection. Unashamed, Olivia held herself open for him, tiny shivers overtaking her body as every part of her cried out in anticipation of what he would do to her next. Her pussy was bare, glistening with evidence of her arousal. Slowly, he licked his lips, yearning to taste her. That would have to wait because, first, he wanted to reintroduce himself to her body, branding every single inch as his.

Moving tantalizing slowly, Fitz lowered his head, laying a whisper of a kiss across her lips. He nibbled at her lower lip, teasing her, delighted when she arched her back, pressing her breasts into his chest. Every move was deliberate, intentional. It wasn't about stopping the fire, it was about redirecting it. He was going to take her places she'd never been, but he wanted her to remember every kiss, every touch, and every single second of their first night together.

"Fitz, please," she pleaded.

"Please what?" he asked,

"Kiss me," Olivia begged, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him close. His mouth seized hers with a raw hunger, parting her lips and driving his tongue into her mouth. He swiftly captured her tongue with his, sucking it into his mouth. She moaned with delight, her body going soft and pliant beneath his. Oh how he wanted to devour her, wanted to slide inside her and feel every inch of her wrapped around him, but he knew he had to be patient, to focus on her needs.

Fitz pulled his lips from hers and dropped his head to the curve of her neck, kissing, biting, licking, and sucking on the sensitive skin. He discovered all of the spots that made her squirm with need - the hollow behind her ear, the pulse point in her neck, both of her nipples, her navel, her protruding hip bone, the inside of her thigh, and the instep of her foot. Olivia writhed beneath him, feeling more alive with each new sensation that Fitz brought forth. Never before had any man worshipped her body so. This was more than just desire. He needed her more than he needed his next breath and she was pushed to brink of tears by his intensity.

Mustering every ounce of control he had, Fitz slowly crawled up her body. Her thighs fell open, making space for him in the cradle of her womanhood. Olivia raised herself a little, her chocolate eyes connecting with his electric blue eyes just seconds before he lowered his head between her legs. At the touch of his mouth, she cried out, her body lifting from the mattress as pleasure tore through her overcharged system like lightning bolt.

"So easy," Fitz said with a smirk, the strain on Olivia's beautiful face as she struggled to hold off her orgasm turning him on even more. "I could make you come all night."

She scowled briefly at his arrogance. She wanted to put up more resistance, but he was a magician with his tongue, skillfully playing her body. "How about you show me instead of telling me."

Fitz released a quiet roar, accepting her challenge. His lips kissed her swollen sex and he took a slow, broad lick up her center. Olivia gasped, her back arching deeply. He parted her lips with his tongue, the tip flicking against her clit. His tongue alternated between circling her clit and plunging inside; teasing, taunting, and pushing her ever closer to edge.

"Your tongue feels so good!" Olivia exclaimed as her fingers tangled in his curls, feeling an urgent need to touch him. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her skin as writhed back and forth, alternating between pulling at his hair and the bedsheets. She was floating in that sweet spot right before the rapture of orgasm, but she knew she couldn't stay there for long.

Fitz continued pleasuring her with his mouth. He slowly inserted one finger into her, and then a second, stretching her before adding a third. Her walls constricted around him, pulling his fingers deeper inside. "You are so fucking tight," he growled, pumping his fingers in and out of her. All Olivia could do was moan in response. One final flick of his creative tongue was all it took to push her over the edge. Olivia cried out, her entire body short-circuited, as her world exploded.

Fitz kissed his way up her body, eliciting a series of giggles as his lips pressed against her sensitive skin. His body rubbed against her, his arousal evident but controlled, as he captured her lips and pushed his tongue into her mouth. "Can you taste how sweet you are?" he asked.

His naughty words made her ache with want for him. Reaching between their bodies, her fingers found his belt buckle. She paused, waiting for his reaction, and was surprised he when didn't say or do anything. She slowly started to unbuckle his belt, her nervous fingers fumbling as she made quick work of his belt, unfastening his jeans, and pulling down his zipper. Her hands slid in his boxers and over his butt, sliding his pants and boxers lower and lower until his cock sprung free, rigid and leaking precum.

His eyes were intense as she wrapped her slender fingers around him, stroking up and down, lubricating him with his own precum. He didn't stop her, didn't slow her down, and didn't say a word. For long minutes she pleasured him, encouraged by the soft sounds he made and the restless twitching of his body, as she wrapped his manhood in her fist.

"Liv, please," he pleaded through gritted teeth. "Not like this." After a few more tugs, she released him, pulling him on top of her and kissing him deeply. He gently pushed away from her, standing up and toeing off his sneakers. He stripped off his pants, socks, and underwear, standing in front of her in all his glory. Her eyes greedily ran over his body, pausing when she reached his midsection, her eyes growing wide when she saw how long and thick he was.

"What?" he asked with a laugh. "You just had it in your hand."

"This is the first time you've let me see you. You're beautiful, perfect," she said, her fingers tracing the veins and ridges of his penis.

"Thanks," he said, blushing wildly as he crawled between her legs and reached under the pillow above her head.

Olivia watched as he pulled out a gold fold packet. "You knew?"

"I hoped," he corrected her. "I wanted to be prepared."

"Can I?" she asked, reaching for the condom.

Fitz raised up on his knees, leaning back and resting on his heels. When he handed the condom to her, he immediately noticed her hands were trembling as she tried to open the wrapper. He took her tiny hands between his, stilling her movements. "It's okay. We don't have to do this if you're not ready. I'm content to just hold you."

"Really?"

"Yes, I will always put your needs first."

"Good because right now I need to feel you inside me."

Fitz looked down at her with a toothy grin. "As you wish." He released her hands and she ripped open the wrapper, tossing it aside. Taking his erection in her hand, she unrolled the condom over his penis. Removing her hands, he said, "I've got it from here."

He lowered his body over hers and, using one hand, lined himself up at her entrance. He felt her body tense up in anticipation. He pulled back, "You can't do that, sweet baby," he whispered softly, his face hovering over hers. "It will be painful for both of us."

His need for her was quickly becoming a pleasure-pain paradox, but he ignored his discomfort and focused on her. He curved his hand around her cheek, staring adoringly into her eyes. In that moment, Olivia's heart opened and she received the love he was trying to pour into her. Gone was the last trace of hesitation and doubt. Here, with this incredible man, was where she wanted to be. Where she would always want she would always want to be. "Slowly," Olivia said.

"I can do slow," he replied. Leaning in, he pressed a lingering kiss to her lips and blazed a path with his mouth down her cheek and along her neck. She tilted her head back, closing her eyes and relaxing under him. He continued kissing his way down her body, letting her moans and whimpers be his guide. When his mouth moved to the left and captured her nipple, she cried out with an intensity that she couldn't control. Then, she arched beneath him, and he gave her what she wanted, what they both wanted.

It had been so long, too long, and she was so wet, so tight, so absolutely perfect. He worried about how his body would react. He'd never gone so long without sex before and he didn't know what to expect. He'd done this more than a thousand times, but never had he felt as much pressure as he did tonight. The fear of embarrassing himself and disappointing her only amplified his anxiety. He had to get this perfect or there might not be a second chance. She deserved his best, more so than any other woman before her, and he didn't know if he could deliver.

Fitz moved over her, lifting his head to witness her reaction as he flexed his hips and pushed into her with slow, exquisitely pleasurable deliberation. Her tight channel gripped him, her inner muscles protesting his intrusion before yielding to his size. Once he was fully embedded inside her he stopped, giving her a moment to adjust to him.

"Fuck, Liv," he said in a strained voice. The tension in his body and the sweat beading on his forehead proof that he was on the edge of losing control. A tentative upward tilt of her hips signaled him that she ready.

"Look at me," he commanded. When she opened her eyes, he pulled his hips back slightly and she released a little whimper at the void he left behind. He thrust into her again, deeper this time, keeping his movements as slow as he possibly could. He repeated this slow stroke until he was so deep inside her that she couldn't tell where she ended and he began.

Olivia wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed him so he would increase the painfully slow rhythm he was inflicting on her. "Faster," she begged. He increased his pace, driving harder, faster, growling her name as she stretched tight around him, squeezing him, gripping him, and pulling him back to her. He was right there on the edge, but he refused to fall without her.

Fitz swiveled his hips, changing his angle so he hit her right against her G-spot. The sensation spread out through Olivia's entire body causing her muscles to shudder with pleasure. She cried out, arching her spine and moving against him again. Her nails dug into his ass as the waves of pleasure wracked her body over and over. Her walls were fluttering wildly around him, signaling her impending orgasm.

"You know what I want," he said, gritting his teeth trying to hold off his orgasm. "Give it to me," he growled. Lifting her legs over his arms, he pressed his pelvis tightly to hers and circled his hips slightly, applying just the right amount of pressure on her clit.

"Holy shit," Olivia cried out, her entire body twitching and trembling violently as she came. With one last driving plunge, his hard body jerked convulsively into hers as he groaned her name and fell forward, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

They both lay there panting, covered in sweat, struggling to recover. Fitz was the first to regain his senses, realizing he was crushing her with his body weight. Still buried inside her, he held her tightly to him and rolled them over so she was resting on top of him. He wanted to stay this way forever, the two of them still connected, their hearts beating together.

Careful not to disconnect their bodies, Olivia lifted her head so she could see his face. "That was - that was - I don't think there are words. You really are a sex god."

Fitz threw his head back in laughter. "Don't grade me yet, I'm not close to being finished with you." Olivia's mind started thinking about them making love again and she felt her body starting to respond once more, shamelessly grinding her hips into his.

He stilled her hips with his hands, "I have to clean up first. I'm going to pull out, okay?" She nodded and he rolled her onto her back, kissing her as he slowly withdrew from her. "I'll be right back. Don't fall asleep," he said, giving her another lingering kiss before sliding out of the bed and heading for the bathroom.

Fitz emerged from the bathroom sporting a Cheshire grin and a full erection. Olivia stared at him in disbelief. How was that possible? He was forty years old. He couldn't possibly have the refractory period of a teenager. Could he? She immediately forgot how exhausted she was as every part of her body ached to be connected with him again.

She propped herself up on her elbows and gazed intently at him with sultry eyes before saying, "You can fuck me now."

Fitz dropped the washcloth he was holding and crossed the room in several quick strides. Grabbing her by the ankles, he pulled her to the foot of the bed, chuckling when she cried out in surprised. He easily flipped her over onto her stomach and lifted her hips so she was kneeling facing away from him. Trailing hot kisses from the curve of her ass along her spine to the column of her neck, he used the weight of his body to press her shoulders to the mattress, while his left hand held her hips in place.

"Is this okay?" he whispered close to her ear, reaching around to stroke her slick folds, his fingers sliding easily in her wetness.

"Yes," she hissed. He crushed his lips against hers and she groaned into his mouth while his thumb rubbed across her clit, filling her body with shivers of pleasure. "Oh, yes. Just like that," she encouraged him, pressing her butt into his crotch.

"What's your safe word?" Olivia's head snapped in his direction, her eyes wide with alarm. Fitz immediately stilled his fingers so she could focus on his words. "I would never hurt you nor would I ever denigrate you. The word is in case things get too..." his words trailed off as he searched for the appropriate phrase. "In case they get too intense and you need to tap out. You say this word and I stop. It doesn't matter how good it feels or what I'm doing, I stop immediately and without hesitation."

Olivia paused. Of course she was familiar with the concept of a safe word, but she'd never been in a position where she had to use one. She was simultaneously nervous and excited about what he had planned for her. She believed him when he said she wasn't in any danger, but she worried her relative vanilla sexual experiences would leave her ill-equipped to satisfy him. Deciding to trust him, she reached under the pillow and handed him a condom stating, "Boston."

"Boston," Fitz repeated, his hand running along her spine, positioning her as he wanted her.

Olivia turned her head over her shoulder and smiled as she watched him carefully unroll the thin rubber sheath down his shaft. Leaning forward, Fitz kissed her again, smoothing his hands down her body as he lined himself up with her sopping wet core. Slowly, he pushed inside her, forcing her softness to yield to his thick member. His gaze held hers the entire time, watching with pride as her face contorted with pleasure. She gasped and arched her back, allowing him to slip deeper inside her, a warm sensation washing over her as he stretched her beyond her capacity.

Fitz waited for a sign she was ready for him. After a moment, Olivia began to rock against him, slowly easing away from him before pushing back into him. "So perfect," he bit out, his jaw clenched as he fought against the avalanche of sensations as her walls wrapped around him, tight, so fucking tight, pulling him into an abyss of mindless pleasure. His eyes rolled back as he gripped her hips with his hands, his whole body shaking with the agony of need.

Fitz pulled out and thrust into Olivia, her tiny body lurching forward as she dropped her head and released a strangled cry. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked through gritted teeth. He grabbed her hips roughly and thrust into her repeatedly, claiming her, making her his. Olivia lost all reason as flashes of pleasure coursed through her veins, heating her body and soul. He was drawing out a need and desire within her she didn't know existed and he was fulfilling it such that he had her meeting him, thrust for thrust.

Fitz's punishing pace made the bed cry out in protest, squeaking and groaning. He was convinced it was going to collapse beneath them, but he was determined she would fall first. His left hand cupped her breast as he buried his face in her neck, nipping her flesh with his teeth. She was close, he could tell by the way her inner muscles were fluttering wildly around him, murmuring something he couldn't make it out, her voice muffled by her position on the mattress. It was only when he turned her head to kiss her that he realized she was chanting his name, the sweet sound almost enough to make him cum on the spot.

Refusing to find his release before giving her hers, Fitz kissed her roughly and slid his right hand around her body, circling her clit with his nimble fingers. "Oh, fuck Fitz, yes," she shrieked at the new sensation, shattering beneath him in an explosive orgasm. Fitz slowed his stroke pressing quick, light kisses down the column or her neck and across her shoulder, nursing her through the end of her orgasm. He withdrew from her and she fell forward on the bed, sobbing with pleasure.

Fitz scooped her up and walked her over to the nearest wall, pressing her against it, kissing her with enough force to erase any doubt about how this would end. "Hold on," he whispered in her ear. Too weak to resist him, she wrapped her legs around his waist, desperately clinging to him with no hope of controlling anything. She spread her legs wide, pressing her face in his shoulder, biting down to muffle her screams as he entered her with a single thrust, his hard member once again filling her completely.

Fitz took her with a hunger and a fierceness that had her crying out in pleasure, her nails clawing at his back, as he began jackrabbiting into her. She held herself open for him. Using his shoulders for leverage, she pressed down, allowing him to hit her deeper than anyone ever had. Lost in the throes of all-consuming passion, Olivia felt her ability to form a coherent thought slipping away. All she could focus on was the way he made her feel as he pushed into and withdrew from her repeatedly.

They were worn out from the effort, both of their bodies covered with sweat, moving more by instinct than anything else. Somehow, his lips found hers for a rough kiss, his hips moving erratically as he barreled toward his release. Fitz wanted to stay in this moment forever, but, despite his best efforts, he was still human. He broke off the kiss, crying out her name and throwing his head back as his pleasure claimed him. His nostrils flared and he thrust into her one final time, the muscles in his legs and ass locking up as he spilled his seed into the thin layer of latex separating them. Fitz's eyes found Olivia's just in time to watch them roll back in her head and he caught her as she crumpled unconscious into his arms.

Olivia's eyes fluttered opened slowly. She was disoriented by her surroundings and surprised to find Fitz's face hovering over hers. "Welcome back," he said.

Olivia pushed herself up one elbow, turning her body toward him. "What happened?"

"You passed out."

"Oh my god," Olivia groaned, falling back on the bed, covering her face in embarrassment. Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she bolted forward. "Did you?"

"Yes," he replied quickly, sheepishly adding, "just before you."

"Did I scare you?"

"No," he replied, awkwardly looking away from her.

"It's happened before?" she asked tentatively.

Ignoring her question, he asked one of his own. "Why didn't you use your safe word?"

She shrugged. "I didn't know I needed to. I've never felt like that before. I didn't know that was going to happen."

"If you're okay, I need to..." his voice trailed off as he looked down at the soiled condom he was still wearing.

Olivia giggled softly, crinkling her nose in disgust. "Go. I'm fine."

Fitz leaned over Olivia and quickly pecked her lips before pushing himself off the bed. Instead of heading to the bathroom, he made a beeline for the mini bar. He retrieved a bottle of water and brought it back to Olivia. "Here, drink this," he said, handing her the bottle.

"Fitz, I'm fine," she protested. "I don't need a ten dollar bottle of water."

Fitz twisted off the cap. "I opened it. Now, you have to drink it," he said, placing the bottle in her hand and disappearing into the bathroom.

Olivia collapsed, her body boneless against the soft mattress. Her eyes were heavy lidded from spent passion. She'd dreamed about this moment, fantasized about this night one hundred different ways, and yet it was nothing compared to the reality of it. He was everything she ever wanted in a lover. He was passionate and tender, wild and creative, strong and loving.

She heard the bathroom door open and turned in the direction of the sound without opening her eyes. "Do you want to take a shower?" Fitz asked.

"Yes, but I don't think I can stand."

Fitz laughed. "I may have another solution."

Olivia heard water running in the bathroom and a Fitz moving around the bedroom, but she didn't have the energy to open her eyes. She felt the mattress sink in with his weight and her eyes flew open when a warm damp cloth pressed against her collarbone. "A sponge bath?"

Fitz paused his movements. "Too much?" he asked shyly.

"No. It's kind of sweet, actually."

He lovingly moved the cloth over her body, washing every inch of her tenderly. When he was finished, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the right side of the bed. He gently laid her on the bed, covering her nakedness with the duvet. "Will you get cold? Do you need a t-shirt?"

Olivia struggled to open her eyes. "Not if you're coming to bed."

Fitz quickly walked around the bed and joined Olivia in the middle of it. He spooned her, holding her tightly, afraid she might disappear if he let go. Olivia pulled his arms tighter around her, seeking both the warmth of his body and the security of his embrace.

Olivia flipped around in his arms so she was facing him, lightly tracing the contours of his beautiful face with her fingertips. "Thank you for today. Everything was...everything was perfect."

"You're perfect," he replied.

"You can stop trying so hard," she teased. "I'm already yours."

"Is that so?" he asked, his lips touching hers in a soft kiss.

His lips parted, inviting her tongue to join his. Without thinking she leaned into his kiss, pressing her body into his. Without breaking the kiss, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against him. Remembering how spent she was, Olivia abruptly pulled away from the kiss, quickly moving away from him. He chuckled, pulling her back into his embrace. "I couldn't again so soon anyway," he said, nuzzling her neck. "I need ten minutes."

She pecked his lips. "I'll be asleep by then." Snuggling into his warm body, she laid her head on his chest and allowed the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the feel of his fingers on her hip, drawing soothing circles, lull her to sleep.

"Livvie?" he asked, his eyes threatening to close.

"Yes," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"Promise me you won't run in the middle of the night."

"Fitz..."

"Please, Livvie, I'm exhausted, but I can't fall asleep unless I know you'll be here when I wake up."

"I'm not running. I promise. I want you. I choose you." she said, lifting her head and stretching toward him for an awkward kiss. Olivia snuggled back into the heat of Fitz's body. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her as close as he possibly could before sinking back onto the pillows and falling asleep.

 **A/N: I hope it was worth the wait and that I met your lofty expectations. Our Olitz still has a long way to go to be a happy, healthy, and committed couple, but it seems like they are well on their way. As always, I love to read your comments. Let me know what you thought – good, bad or otherwise.  
**


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